Random weekend family shots

We're getting into dressup play heavily now. Avy likes to throw on an assortment of tutus, ponchos, medals, and cowboy hats and proclaim she's an "Astronaut Princess Doctor's Office". Good to have goals dear!

Ellie doesn't have a preference yet, but she likes anything that allows her to "twirl like a queen". I'm in the kitchen and I hear my name being called. Ellie: "Momma, take my picture! I'm SUPER cute!"

And behold.

Speaking of super cute....

Daddy's home on vacation this week. The kids are delighted. I left him like this. I'm not ashamed in the slightest ;)

Making breakfast

I follow the blog How We Montessori for ideas on activities, chores, peace making, etc. It's a great one in general, and I love how the mother promotes independence in her sons' daily lives. Case in point: making their own meals. She's had them chopping fruits and veggies and cooking over hot plates at a way earlier age than my girls, so I finally caved in and got a cheap little portable stove. The girls made eggs for themselves and the babies and it was a huge success.

What I especially like about this, besides the intense focus they give the task, is the patience they suddenly have at meal time. Breakfast typically is hectic for me - I give the babies their bottles, get the girls up, pottied and dressed, make food for everyone because everyone is now telling me they're starving, clean up while everyone eats then feed the babies another bottle because after all that they're still starving.

But now? The girls actively help with the making of breakfast which means they appreciate the time that goes into the process. The babies don't yet of course, but they're slower to chase me down ;)

Beach day

I don't brave the beach by myself - too many places for my attention to be - but a friend asked if she and her older kids could accompany us. Day at the beach with help? Yes please!

Something is really working for us

Whether it's the twin thing, Montessori thing, tender neglect thing.. I dunno, but the combination thereof is awesome. Have a not-so-humble brag:

Ellie peed through her bed two nights ago so she was using a different quilt last night while I washed her blankets and sheets. The girls were making their beds up while I fed the babies and Ellie asked where her blankets were. I told her downstairs in the drier and Avy yells, "I'll help you Ellie!"

They made two separate trips. A little bit later I went in and found this (Ellie's is pink):

So not only did they work together to bring up the blankets but they also helped each other to put them on the bed correctly. They also brought up the sheets and when they realized there were already sheets on the bed Avy asked me where they went then put them in the correct drawer.

The temporary quilt I found sitting on my bed, waiting to be put away. LOVE SO MUCH!

Park day

I'm finding days at the park are easier than otherwise - babies are fascinated with the outdoors and the girls can run and yell and eat with fewer restrictions. So, we spend a lot of time at parks now.

One game I recently discovered is called "Go Find It", a scavenger hunt card game for the 3-6 range. Ellie likes it ok. Avy LOVES it. She spent 1/2 hour looking for something "tiny", which had to fit within a specific circle on one of the cards. It was a challenge, but she was so pleased with she succeeded!

Random shots from a Monday

The day was not actually as peaceful as it appears - we're in a serious testing phase right now so we live near or in time out most days. Still, there are plenty of cute moments (thank you Lily!).

Einstein baby!

I caught the two seconds he held still before he started flailing around. He loves his bath.

My little waifs. You'd think I was feeding them dirt!

A nifty exercise in how certain colors are made: we have these pellets that you drop into the water to change it. Add a yellow and a red one like here and poof, you get orange! Each girl gets a pellet to drop, and they really like stirring the water between them to change the color :)

Kids at play

She's a little blurry because she was in the process of running away.

Watercolors! Their paintings were beautiful and are now taped to the walls above their beds.

The girls were so proud of Lily for sitting up by herself. It was the first time I think they realized she would someday be able to play with them!

Clownin' around...

"Mom, the room is blue!"

"Mom, the room is green!"

"Mom, I can see all the colors!"

Bragging rights

Ok, so this is just straight up bragging here, but this is how my 3-year-olds make up their beds:

But, lest my ego get too big, this is what their closet looks like 180 degrees away:

Baby steps!

She can do kung fu

She's starting to sit up and is so proud of herself every time she gets close. But in the meanwhile she looks like she's about to do a kung fu grasshopper leap right at me ;)

And a pic of Theo because, hey, he's cute too!