TwiceToddlers, Auntie Leenie, Uncle Mike and Mommy and Daddy at Oakland Zoo

My girls love the zoo. In fact, they would like to go every weekend. The drive is not bad, but spending the money once there is. I like going because after the zoo, we stop off at TJs (Trader Joe's) in Pleasanton, that is.

Here are some photos of us spending the day at the Oakland Zoo. We might go back at the end of this month. Once a month is good for my twins and just so we can get out of the house and into a nice open space. It is funny though, people always look at my twins when they have their harnesses or leashes on. I just do not get it. Maybe these strangers would rather see Mommy or Daddy chasing them around the park or get lost do to bad parenting.. Its a toss up to me.

Anyway, here are some photos of our Oakland Zoo day out:

TwiceToddlers and the CIty Hall Water Fountain

Every week after daycare, my twins just have to 'Go Downtown'. Now, the city I live in is small, under 100K, and the downtown is small, more homey than large and scary. The downtown area also have a brand new city hall. The city hall has in front of it a very large water fountain.

This water fountain has caught the fancy of my twins. For some reason, every week, at least once a week, they ask Mommy to drive 'downtown and go to the water fountain. So, Mommy drives downtown to the water fountain. I only do this if they are good though. Good means no fighting or crying.

As Mommy makes her way downtown and drives on the major street towards city hall, my twins say, "I see it, I see it." From where I am driving, there is no way they could 'see it'. They just like saying this. My twins also say they see our home, even though I am not on our street yet. Our street is two streets away, but they do know how to get to our home and the general vicinity of where our home is. That is pretty good for a 3.3 year old toddler. In fact, my twins have know where our house is since they were 2 years old.

So, I am thinking that this fascination with going downtown will eventually fade and they will want to do something else after daycare or school once they begin that.

Silly TwiceToddlers!

TwiceToddlers in Climbing Tree

At the end of my twins daycare, they run outside the house and to the 'climbing tree'. They just love this tree. It looks like a Modesto Ash, but I really have no idea what species of tree it is. All I know is, my twins love it and climb in it all the time.

Today, I put their Tiger and Panda in the tree with them. My twins got these robotic animals from Nana at Christmas. Usually, I do not allow the animals out of the home because I am afraid they will break.

Anyway, if the weather remains good next week, like it did this Wednesday and Friday, my twins will surely find themselves in their climbing tree once again. It is the best place to take photos with their friends, by themselves and with Mommy too.

TwiceToddlers and Ribbits

A couple of days ago, I was searching the Focus of the Family website for books and videos for my twins. There is this one video series I found called Ribbits. It looked fun and entertaining from the outside photo and description of each video. So, I have my DH purchase the series (3 DVDs).

Well, yesterday, after my twins lap, we all watched the DVDs together. My twins were not at all focused on these DVDs. I am thinking it is because my twins are so used to the Little Einsteins, Micky Mouse Club, Tigger and Pooh and Imagination Movers shows. The Ribbits DVDs were slow and I guess boring to them.

My twins even like the Praise Baby Collection better than this Christian Children's Series. This DVD series did have a little bit of a Christian theme through it, but I was not happy at all with how ZondervanKids (who makes these DVDs) calls the Bible, The Good Book, I think. Children, even as young as 3, my twins ages, know what the Bible is and it will confuse them when they hear The Good Book and not the Bible.

This 'watering down' of what the Bible is and does is very disheartening to say the very least. But, this is the way our world, even the church is going. At least I can see it, right before my eyes. All I wanted was a new Christian DVD series for my twins that was a little more for their age, but still taught them about Jesus, love, patience, kindness, respect, you know, things like.

I would have to give this children's DVD series a 3 or our 5. Shame on ZondervanKids for 'watering or dumbing down' the bible to calling it The Good Book.

TwiceToddlers and Potty Training

This has not been the easiest trasition for my twins or Mommy. My twins are 3, so I know they understand me when I say "Use the potty, not your pull-up". You see, I have not been putting them in their "big girl underwear" because in the past, they do not tell me when they have to use the potty. Even when they know where it is and how to pull down there pull up and pants.

I can tell they are going potty in their underwear when they look at me funny and are in a squatting mode in the corner of our family room. This is why I stopped putting them in their "big girl underwear".

This mommy is not a fan of cleaning up bodily messes, especially a #2 mess. Yeah, I am not a fan of anything that could cause sickness in me or my twins. This is why I have not wanted to try the "big girl underwear" for a long time.

But, yesterday, after their nap, I changed them out of their pull ups and with hesitation, I pulled out two pair of underwear. One for each twin to put on. As they were putting their "big girl underwear" on I looked at their precious little faces and said, "A&E, when you have to use the potty, where do you go?" They pointed to where the potty was. Then, I said, "Please tell me when you have to go pee pee or poo poo. I do not want to clean up any messes."

So, as the day worn on, I would ask them every 20-30 minutes, "A or E, do you need to use the potty?" "Yes", one would say, so we would walk real fast or run to the potty. I was so proud of my twins, not once did they do any messes in their "big girl underwear".

I only hope this trend will contiune as I really want to stop purchasing pull ups. They are not cheap when having twins...

TwiceToddlers and their Monday Daycare Craft

On Monday when my twins went to daycare, it was raining or sprinkling. In any event, their daycare provider, and my friend, with my twins and another little boy, made this cute little rainbow craft.

My twins love doing crafts with their daycare providers. I like it because it gets their precious little minds working and being creative. Almost everytime my twins are in daycare, they are doing a craft or playing outside getting some exercise.

I love when they do crafts because these are things I can keep for them to look at the older they get. I keep almost all their crafts in a keepsake box for them to eventually look back on or for Mommy to look at again and again.

TwiceToddlers Mommy and the Fireproof Material

So I went online to order the materials I need for this Fireproof Bible Study. Right now, my leader is making copies of the weeks assignment for me. She did this last week and will have to do this again for this coming Sunday.

As it turns out, this is a very popular study right now. I received an email from the bookstore where I made the purchase stating due to the overwhelming requests for this Fireproof bible study, it will probably take 30 days to receive your order.

Wow, 30 days. This bible study will be over in 30 days. Maybe I should just cancel my order and pay for copies my leader can print our for me and my DH ever other week. It is great this bible study is in high demand, but there should have been more books and participant guides on hand for this very thing. Having more is better than not.

God Bless...

TwiceToddlers and Everybody Jump Rope

There is this semi new Disney show for toddlers that my twins like to watch. It is comprised of five guys who work in a warehouse. Whenever anyone has a problem that needs to be solved, they come into the warehouse and ask for help. This warehouse has probably over 100 rooms and each room covers any issue the five guys may have or customers, who come asking for help, might has as well.

The show is great in that is gets my twins dancing, singing, running, jumping and just having a blast. There is one show called "Too Cool". In this show, they guys are singing, "Everybody Jump Rope, Everybody Jump Rope." So now, my twins want a jump rope. The guys in the show do not actually use a jump rope, but the fact they are singing about a jump rope has got my twins wanting to jump rope now.

I have to watch a lot of these shows with my twins just in case a commercial or 'middle' show that comes on talks about something or shows something I do not want my twins to hear or see. In fact, I am doing my best to have my twins, if they must watch TV, watch shows in the On Demand section where there are no commercials.

God Bless my twins precious and very vulnerable minds.

TwiceToddlers at the Fireproof Bible Study

Last night, my DH and I attended our first Fireproof Bible Study at our church Ministry Center. Our twins were in a separate part of the Ministry Center with other children their age and they had a blast. They got to see some of their friends from Sunday School while Mommy and Daddy learned more about how to communicate better with each other and ways to pray for each other daily.

In the beginning of the study, all who attended sat in a nice, comfy, cozy couch and talked about the last study. Since this was our first study, which is every other Sunday, we just sat and listened to our leaders talk.

Then, we said a prayer before beginning this weeks study session. After praying, we watched a brief segment of the movie, Fireproof, and then from our study guide, talked about the scene and what the main actor Caleb and his Dad talked about. Caleb's Dad began walking towards a cross. The only thing is, the viewers of the movie did not see the cross until the camera was brought outward and the whole scene was visible. It was awesome because his Dad was saying, look to the Cross. Oh, it gives me chills. Everything Caleb was feeling and hurting about was exactly what Jesus went through on this earth. It was like a type and shade of Christ's love for us and the sacrifices He willing made for our sinful nature.

After discussing this scene, there was more that we talked about from this segment. Of course, this was the most powerful segment from this study session. Then, we broke up into male/female groups and did our individual parts of the study.

After the separate study sessions, we got back together, prayed and picked up our kids.

Of course, this is just a condensed version of what really happened.

Then, once home, as husband and wife, we are to do the couples portion together.

My DH and I really like this bible study. I hope it will be an eye opener to us and what we need in our relationship to keep is strong and healthy for ourselves, our children and the Lord.

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12

God Bless...

TwiceToddlers in Their Valentine's Day Dress for Daycare

Today, my twins are in daycare for four hours with one of my friends from church. Well, today she wanted to do a Valentine's Day themed project with my twins and three other children my twins age.

So, my babysitter asked if I could please dress them for Valentine's Day.

I am trying to upload photos right now, but am having issues with blogger. I will try again later.

TwiceToddlers and their Language Skills

It is just amazing seeing my twins grow up, right before my eyes. They are sharp as a tack and remember everything they see, hear or read. In the morning, they love watching Playhouse Disney. There are several shows that are their favorite, but the one they like the most is Little Einsteins. They know all the kids by name, what they are wearing and who Rocket is.

My twins are learning their shapes and colors a lot better. Well, my twins learned their shapes and colors at 18 months thanks to the toys Nana gave them. Along with these important learning tools, my twins are learning about famous composers and hearing their compositions. My twins also get to travel all over the world, without leaving their home.

Almost everyday, my twins sing the ABC song and play it on their xylophone's. We get Comcast Cable and there is a section called BabyBoost. This is where my twins get to watch free DVDs from various Baby Learning Companies like Baby Genius, 1st Impressions and other ones like these companies.

At Baby Genius, my twins love the Nursery Rhymes shows. This is where they learn their ABCs, 123s, London Brige, Wheels on the Bus, Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes and so many other songs.

Oh yeah, I watch these shows with them a lot and they love that. Last night, we were watching one of the nursery rhymes and the song London Bridge came on. So, TwiceToddler "A" asked we hold hands and this is when TwiceToddler "B" went under our arms. Then, I brought our arms down and locked TwiceToddler "B" in our arms. TwiceToddler "B" was laughing and thought it was so much fun! So, TwiceToddler "A" wanted to do it...so we switched....

My twins are so much fun.....and so bright....

Praise the Lord!!

TwiceToddlers and Competition

Over the past several weeks, my twins have begun to show signs of being more competitive. Okay, let's say, if one of my twins does something good or does what I ask, I say, "Good girl _ _ _ _" Well, as soon I say this, my other twin say, "Good girl _ _ _".

Maybe I should not be awarding one of twins in front of the other, but this is what I do. Now, this could happen for anything. If I say one twins name, regarding anything that is going on, good or not so good, my other twin will chime in and say here name.

My goodness, the competition is already beginning and my twins are only 3! If one twin does something good or not so good, the other twin just has to assume that her sister did the same thing she did. My twins want to be equal...at all levels...Oh goodness, how am I going to seperate them from being so competitive?

Well, I guess this is a watch and see event for all of us.

God Bless!!

TwiceToddlers attending School

This morning, after dropping my girls off at daycare, I went to this school down the street from me to turn in my twins applications. The only thing is, in the summer when I went to get information on my twins going to school there, I was given the wrong information. This does not surprise me.

So, when I went to turn in the applications, a different lady at the front desk to me my twins had to be 4 before I could not turn in the applications and there was a lottery for them to join this school.

You see, this is a charter school that everyone wants to get into. I live on the same street this school is on. So, I am hoping we get because I live close to this school and because the student/teacher ratio is low. But, if this is where the Lord wants my twins to go, this is where they will go.

After the new information from the charter school, I called another school where another of my girlfriends kids attend. They said my twins have to be 5 years old and be enrolled in the school close to our home, first.

What this means is, my twins might have to attend the school close to us, in kindergarten, before being accepted to the two schools of our choice. Even in my city, the competition to get into a good school is fierce. Who would have known.

Lord, if it is Your will, please allow my twins to get into one of these two good schools. Preferable the one right now the street from us.

TwiceToddlers and Cookie the Dog

When my twins go to their babysitter in Monday, they now talk about their dog, Cookie. I can not remember what breed she is, but she is a tall dog with long fur. Cookie is the sweetest dog and I see my my twins love talking about her.

The good thing about Cookie is, she is well behaved and does not jump on my twins.

My twins go to this babysitter once a week and love going because they get to do crafts with their other friend who is also watched by their babysitter. Oh, and my twins actually obey their babysitter.

How come, children always obey a teacher figure more than their parent(s)? I do not get it and would like a real good answer as to why this phenomenon occurs. Mommy, that is me, is not too happy with her twins with they will not listen to her. Even for the simpliest of things.

Oh well, I guess this is something we will all have to go through.