My Little Jekyls and Hydes... or, The Two Sides of My Terrible Twosome

Dex-left, Jax-right, feeding their animals a bit of playdough soup... a local favorite among the household "pets."

I read somewhere that children have cycles. There may be six months of relative peace and general happiness, where a child is just right in his own skin. Then, there may be six months of battles, struggles and the vague sense that nothing is right with the world. We've had a week or two of the latter and I'm starting to fear that the TERRIBLE TWOS have arrived... in double.

Don't get me wrong, we still have the adorable faces, silly exclamations, rowdy games and much giggling. There is now a flipside, however...a terrible, stubborn type of strong-willed resistance to the oddest things at the strangest times that can only be matched by a fellow two year old. And wouldn't you guess, I just happen to have two of them. :)

Now, when mommy says she will not pour a second cup of water, just because someone has decided he now wants the yellow cup instead of the blue one, she's met with a loud crash and splash, as she discovers that one of the TT (terrible two) has attempted to pull the water pitcher off of the counter to pour the water himself. Of course, there's not just water on the floor. Since there had been painting earlier and the kitchen floor seems to be one of the best places for drying large artwork, there's a large mess of soggy paper and multi-colored water floating through the kitchen.

Now, when mommy says, "No, I don't need your help opening the mail today," it's not at all surprising to find a stash of sloppily opened letters stashed between the side of the fridge and the kitchen wall... as though one of the TT was trying to hide the evidence!

Of course, to bring the full circle again, there are moments like this morning when the boys are playing and sharing so well it makes me feel like I'm watching a Hallmark movie right in my living room. There are hugs and kisses, there's dancing and singing and there's two sets of big blue eyes that adorably follow me everywhere. Okay, I guess I can handle the terrible twos... as long as I have a bit of cuteness to balance things out. And, of course, it doesn't hurt to throw the boys in the car, hit the local drive-through coffee shop and savor my decaf latte and the sounds of my TT singing along to the Wiggles.... at least, that's how I made it through yesterday!!

Oh, how I missed the silliness!

I just spent a fantastic week-end visiting my little brother, Jonathan, and seeing other family members. D.R., being the galant husband that he is, offered to stay with the munchkins so that I could enjoy a few days with family and see my brother play the role of Judas in his college's production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Jonathan took my breath away. I was so proud of him and floored, as usual, by his strong vocals and commanding presence on stage.

It was so special to see other family members who were there to see the show, as well. It was brief, but savored, as I got to visit with my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncle and cousins... how I wish we lived closer together!

As freeing as it was to be able to visit while caring only for myself, I missed the boys and D.R. SO MUCH! Everytime I called to check on them, I would hear silly giggle in the background or shouts of protest, if they weren't getting their way. Either way, it made me wish they were standing right in front of me and, for that reason, I am glad to be home. D.R. has taken the boys to their cousin's birthday party, so I'm anxiously awaiting their arrival so I can give three special guys the biggest hugs ever.

Just for fun, here's a video of T playing with the boys last week. Jaxon was busy making a birthday cake and Dex was quite focused on making and cutting muffins. Too funny.

Oh, the appeal of garlic peels!

I am appreciating how well the boys can entertain themselves, these days. As short as a two-year-olds's attention span is, a one-year-old's is even shorter, and I remember how challenging getting dinner made used to be! Oh, it still takes some creativity and patience on my part, but it is so much easier now that the boys can make games out of almost anything. I think it helps that they have each other, too!

Daddy and the boys

Dex-blue; Jax- red.

What's the hardest part about D.R.'s schedule, sometimes? It's hard when I hear him sneak into the boys' room before they wake in the morning, just to catch a glimpse of them sleeping before he leaves for work. It's even harder when the very next time he sees them is when he sneaks back in with a flashlight to get another good look at them when he returns from work later in the evening. Not every day is like this, but he certainly has more than his share of long days/nights at work. I know it's hard for D.R. not to see his little boys everyday and hard for the boys not to see him, too! I guess that just makes evenings when he's home, or days off of work, all the more special.

Choo! Choo!

The boys get a real kick out of trains, but Dexter LOVES trains. When both boys want to play with their wooden train set (thanks Mimi and Granddad!), I have two helpers while assembling, but Dex is still sitting there, creating new train dramas long after Jaxon has moved on to the next toy or game. I love his concentration and creativity... and can only imagine how much more fun the train sets will be as he gets older.

Since we're so into trains these days, we decided to take the boys to the model train museum a few week-ends ago. Needless to say, they had a blast. I have to admit, I was pretty impressed with the intricate trains and replications they had. It's fun to go somewhere that both children and adults can enjoy. Dex was pretty impressed with the moving model trains, while Jax was more than captivated by the large selection of train movies. While Daddy and Dex were admiring the miniature Twin Cities, Jaxon kept trying to run DVDs over to the check-out counter, trying to convince the man behind the counter that they should definitely be his! It was pretty funny.

Anyway, here are some photos of Daddy and the boys on a great Saturday morning trip. Jaxon is in the red shirt, Dexter's in the blue.

A few of my favorite things...

The boys are changing so fast, these days. I was recently reflecting on how much I love this age... two years old. Sure, we have battles of will and days when I feel like "NO!" is the only word I hear. Most days, however, are filled with giggles, explorations, new words/expressions, silly games, and moments I wish I could capture in time for all eternity. Usually, I take these moments forgranted, convincing myself that tomorrow will be filled with just as many... and I'm sure tomorrow will have some great moments... but they'll be different.

So, in an effort to remember so many of the sweet things I don't want to forget, this is my current list of favorites:

- I love how sweet and cuddly the boys are when they wake up. This morning, all four of us (yes, D.R. was home today!!) made it downstairs to the couch. The boys took turns hopping from Mommy to Daddy, cuddling up and "sleeping" a little bit more. It was pure heaven.

- I love how they enjoy pouring water over each other during bathtime. For some reason, when D.R. or I try to rinse their hair, we are often met with a bit of resistance. However, when pouring water over each other's heads, there's nothing but laughter... and more pouring.

- When Jaxon asks for something and the answer is no, he has started picking up whatever toy is nearby, pretending it is a phone, and calling someone to ask them for whatever he was denied. This morning, when I told him he couldn't have any more pretzels, he ran to his "phone" and called Sis, asking her for more pretzels. OF COURSE, she said yes!

- Dexter is VERY aware of how I'm feeling at all times. If I'm sitting still too long, he asks me if I'm sick (I guess he saw a lot of that during my first trimester!), and if he thinks I'm sad, he'll throw his arms around my neck, rubbing his cheek against mine, repeating, "Mommy sad? Hi Mommy!"

- It's adorable when the boys hug each other, but I have to admit getting an even bigger kick out of their hugs when only one boy wants to be involved. It's just too funny seeing one of them chasing the other one with his arms out-stretched and the other one running away shouting, "No hugs!!!" Of course, the chaser usually wins and it's an all-too-hilarious moment when that happens!

- The boys are fastastic eaters with amazing appetites (all this considered the fact that they have such restricted diets... no gluten, dairy, soy, corn). HOWEVER, I'm starting to notice the first signs of pickiness. They will frequently "help" me cook supper, freely munching on whatever veggie I'm chopping up (carrots, peppers, beans... even onions!), but the second it hits their plate, they get this funny little look on their faces like, "You don't really expect me to eat that?" Luckily, their still pretty big veggie-lovers... I really only get this look for a few veggies... but they still have NO problem eating them off the cutting board. What goofballs!

- Dexter has this incredible focus and concentration when he's playing with his puzzles, cars or train set. It's fun to see him get so wrapped up in something, especially when it means we get to listen to the adorable little dialogues or scenarios he makes up for the cars/animals/etc. while he's playing. It's too cute.

- Jaxon also has moments of instense focus and concentration, though in completely different circumstances. He also enjoys playing with Dexter's favorite toys, but for him, he shuts everything else out when he's listening to music or to me playing the piano. It's fun to see him so in tune to what his listening to. He'll even tell me when he hears a new instrument or voice come into the music. It's great. Of course, Dex enjoys music, too... there's just a difference in their level/type of enjoyment, right now.

- I find it so endearing that they're discovering their first fears. Of course, I don't want them to be scared, but I think it's healthy to develop fears. It's natural. Now, if we're watching a movie, for example, The Lion King, Dex will run and hide in the kitchen when Scar comes on the screen and Jax will put his hands over his eyes, peeking through spread little fingers.

- They love counting! They're not really to the point where they can recognize number symbols, but they can count quite well to 13 and will happily make numbers up so they can make it to 20. It's the funniest thing.

- They've always loved letters. Maybe this was almost worrisome early on, but it's fun, now! They're great at reciting the alphabet and love naming letters (they've known all of them for a few months... way to go, boys!). I think it's cutest, though, when they spell their names or get so excited when they see their names in print. Dex started spelling his name sometime before Christmas and Jax just started in the past month, or so. Now, if I can just get them to sit still long enough to try writing a letter, or two! :)

- I love how snack time ALWAYS has to be accompanied by stories. Could this be because food is one of the few motivations the boys have to sit still? :)

- I love how tentative Jaxon is while walking down the stairs, and yet how he can dive off the couch with no fear whatsoever.

- I love how imaginative and inventive dexter is while playing... and how jaxon wants to do whatever dex is doing.

- I love how sometimes the first thing they say when they wake up is something completely irrational like, "movie night, mommy?" or "silver car!!!"

- I love how jaxon scrunches his face up into a funny little smile when he's asking for something he know he shouldn't have.

- I love how dexter adores his daddy... and will stick to him like glue when he gets home from work. Of course, Jaxon loves his daddy, too... but he's a little (okay, a lot) more of a mommy's boy these days!

- I love Dex saying "does it go here?" for every piece of the jigsaw puzzle he's done a thousand times... and how he says, "policee car," instead of "police car."

I should stop. My little list got quite long. I guess I should end by restating how much I love this age of 2 1/2. Or, maybe I should do a list of all the aggravating aspects of having two little boys at this age! That one could be kind of humorous... like how Dex shouts, "BAAAAAH!" at me whenever he gets really angry (like it's the worst thing he can think of to say to me), or how stubborn Jaxon can be (we have frequent protests that involve him either clinging to me or dramatically throwing himself to the floor... oh, the theatrics!)... but today I'm focusing on the things I LOVE about this age. So there!

Hooray for Daddy!

We're celebrating this week because D.R. was elected to be chief next year. It's going to mean a bit more challenging work schedule (yes, apparently, he can actually be gone more! :)), but I know he's going to do an excellent job, as he does with everything. Somehow, he's going to be taking on two three-year-old little boys, a new baby and being chief all in the same year... and I know he'll be amazing.

Anyway, since I have a great video of the boys and their friend M, screaming their little lungs out, I'll post it with this great news. I love how two-year-olds can find the littlest thing to celebrate. On this particular evening, Jaxon discovered how much funny M's daddy could be. Of course, he started screaming with excitement everytime he was chased or tickled. When he started screaming, M started screaming and when Dex realized he was the only child not screaming, he just had to join in. What fun.

The wonderful world of make-believe

Being pregnant definitely has its perks. Sure, you feel rotten for about 14 weeks (or at least I do), you're tired all the time and you just keep growing and GROWING... but, then, there's the evening when you're husband comes home from work and offers to scrub the kitchen floor. As D.R. piled the kitchen chairs in the living room last week to get to work in the kitchen, I couldn't help but feel incredibly loved. Then, to top it all off, the boys completed my lovely evening by entertaining each other with all of the upside down chairs. It was adorable. At first, they were make-shift jungle gyms, but quickly, the boys decided they simply had to be cars. They would climb into the same upside-down chair and make believe they were driving up and down the street. I was the giggling audience member through most of their little show, but was able to catch a bit of it with the camera before the game was over. Enjoy. Dex is in the backseat, Jaxon is in the front.

Sedating the ants...

The boys do have perpetual ants in the pants. It's true. I've gotten used to most people commenting on how much energy they have, or how busy they are, or how active they are... Of course, I've also gotten used to my little balls of energy and I really wouldn't want them any other way. That being said, there are times in the day when it's really helpful to know that they're safe in one spot so that I can, say, stir something on the stove or fold laundry without trying to stop the boys from leaping into it! And, thus, we've discovered coloring books... and water colors... and I'm loving the fact that the boys are so into them! Yipee!! Now, if I can just keep the tricks up my sleeve rotated on a regular basis, I may never have to rush making dinner again!

Let's get creative!

One of the great benefits of living in family housing is that if you find yourself stuck in the house with sub zero weather and your hubby's on call all week-end, chances are, there's another mommy friend going through the same thing!! Luckily, last Sunday when the boys and I were anxious for some entertainment, C & M (who also had a Daddy on week-end call) joined us for some kitchen floor painting.

M and the boys had so much fun driving cars through the paint, using their toes and hands to spread it all around... and, as usual, just as much fun cleaning up in the soapy sink. As the paint spread quickly over their little bodies, we quickly stripped them of all clothes and were completely entertained by our three diaper-clad little toddlers painting away. I had to include a picture of Dexter's leg and bottom, just to give you an idea of how colorful our children were! Somehow, he even managed to get a piece of tape stuck to his leg. Thank goodness for washable paint... and thank goodness for friends to enjoy getting nice and messy with us!

Who needs expensive toys?

My aunt sent me this great email with a video of a baby cracking up over the crinkling of paper. It was titled, "Who needs expensive toys?" I had to giggle, because the same day I received the video (which is SO SO funny), I had taped the boys going crazy over a big box. It's true, as much as the boys are loving their new Christmas toys, they seem to take it up a notch when we let them play with the couch cushions or jump into a giant box. Aren't kids silly?

And, since I received a very cute comment about how the boys are always half-dressed in our little videos (how true!), I have to give a good justification! :) No, we don't make them share clothes (one getting a top and one getting a bottom), though it's not a bad idea. We do, however, live in an apartment that is perpetually 82 degrees... and we haven't even turned our heat on this year! Crazy! So, as the boys get moving, the clothes come off! :) Oh, the joys of living in an old building...

Suriving the cold

Yes, they're actually squishing Daddy. What fun! We've found the best way to survive incredibly long and cold days is to find ways of climbing/jumping/running/bouncing without leaving the house. Usually, this means most of the couch cushions find their way to the ground. In all the photos above, Dex is on the left and Jax is on the right.


Below is a little video of the boys winding down from their little adventure with Daddy. Jaxon is saying, "climb the mountain" in the beginning of the video. Now, when he wants me to pull the couch cushions off, he'll say, "Climb the mountain, Mommy?" I get a kick out of Dexter who keeps shouting at Daddy to start wrestling again, but then goes back to his sippy cup! What a goof-ball. As you can see, videos are pretty short, these days, because as soon as Jaxon notices I'm taping, he wants me to play back whatever I just taped. Too funny.

All Jaxon

Jaxon and me
Helping Mommy cook supper... what a great helper!
Another climbing feat...

I'm always suprised, when I go to upload recent photos, of what's on the camera and what isn't. Apparently, I went several days with only catching Jaxon! I have no idea how my Dexter eluded the camera during that time period!! Anyway, this is a good opportunity to give a little update on Jax.

A year ago in March he received his PDD-NOS diagnosis and we began an intense period of research/therapy. When I look back on 2007, I can honestly say it was the most difficult year of my entire life. There was so much fear and uncertainty... so many unknowns. It pained me to look at my little boys and wonder what sort of future he would have.

Now, an exhausting 10 months later, we have much to be thankful for. Jaxon is an energetic, curious little boy. He has officially joined the ranks of "narrator," along with his brother. So, yes, we now have a double running commentary on everything that is occuring. He has a fabulous sense of humor, an intense need to climb, jump and conquer and seems to have a running metronome deep in his heart, as he is almost always singing or beating a rhythm with whatever percussive unit he can find (ie. spoon, fork, stick or matchbox car).

In December, we got the fantastic news that the school district wants to officially remove the autism label... and several other professionals we've been working with have suggested he no longer fits the criteria for autism spectrum. But, like any child, he has good days and bad days. On good days, I'm absolutely convinced he's as typical as the next child... but on bad days, he still has trouble focusing and borders on obsessive with his love of CDs and DVDs. So, where does that leave us? I think I've accepted the fact that, at this point, I'm not going to be able to neatly define him as "PDD-NOS" or "typical." He's a great little boy with strengths and weaknesses... and we'll just keep trying to turn his more challenging aspects into assets. Trouble focusing on one thing could mean a broad range of interests sparked with great creativity later on, right? Anyway, we're still trying to celebrate the great progress we've seen and continue to hope and work for more progress to come.

In the meantime, I am loving all the new cute things I hear him say, how helpful he is in the kitchen and how enthusiastic he is about things he loves.

... and the pieces come together

The boys have found a new obsession... jugsaw puzzles. Well, Dexter is actually the only one bordering on obsession, Jaxon simply seems to enjoy them. What funny little boys. Sarah gave them each a 12 piece jigsaw for Christmas and they have thorougly enjoyed mastering them. Dexter can now complete either in less than two minutes and Jaxon isn't far behind (though, he's a bit more laid back about it. Dex seems to think it's a race!). So, last week, I found a 24-piece puzzle, thinking it would be a nice challenge. Well, my little near-2 1/2 year olds have now mastered that one! I have to admit, I love watching them maneuver the pieces, trying to figure out where they go. I love when they ask me to sit and play with them. These things brighten up my days.

Speaking of pieces... we're adding one to our little family. Some people know already, but it's about time we make it official! Baby #3 is due in August, acually just two days after my due date with the boys. Though the boys don't fully grasp the concept, yet, they like telling people that there's a shoe baby in Mommy's tummy. One of their favorite stories is about a baby that hides in a shoe, so they've somehow decided that it's a shoe baby growing in there!

Anyway, I'm nearly out of the first trimester... two weeks to go... so I'm looking forward to that glorious second trimester of pregnancy. Dealing with feeling so icky all the time and chasing my busy twosome around has been quite the challenge, as of late, but I can tell that things are starting to get easier, which is a great sign. So, that's the news. More to follow, I'm sure.

Haircuts!

So, following with the trend of the past few weeks, I somehow managed to only get a pic of Jaxon post-haircut. Both boys are having a lot of fun with their new dos. I don't believe their hair has been this short since they were babies and they look so much older to me! Of course, it doesn't hurt that they seem to have had a bit of growth spurt in the past month.

The boys are starting to have short little verbal exchanges that are absolutely adorable. Lots of, "No, Ja Ja!" or "Mine, Dot!!" But, last night, as they were passing treasures back and forth between their cribs, I overheard Jaxon say, "Thank you, Dot!" and Dexter quickly replied, "You're welcome, Ja Ja." Why does something so simple make my heart swell? :)

Fun with Mom and Dad

"Can you believe he's sleeping through all of this?!" Jaxon-left, Dex-right, attacking Daddy on a post-call day.""If Daddy won't open his eyes, I'll just try prying them open!" Dex is quite determined, isn't he?
Jaxon and Mommy playing a little duet. He's been getting so good at singing along with me- I love it! Here, we're playing, "Let It Snow," in which he'll sing the last word of every phrase, filling in lots of "aahs" in between. Then when we get to the chorus, he'll loudly sing, "let it snow! let it snow! let it snow!" Awesome. I'm also lucky to have his little fingers moving the whole time we're playing... just adds to the very original sound we're going for.

Week-end Trip #3

Jaxon learns the joys of video games with Uncle Jonathan.
Dexter gets both Mimi and Granddad's attention! What luck!
The boys LOVED the fact that they got so many Christmas celebrations. Jaxon surprised us by diving into the roll of passing out presents. Of course, both boys thought it was highly important that they "help" everyone open their presents!
Good thing Great Grandpa has a piano!! The boys always seem to be happy if they have a piano to play. :)

So, I've been incredibly slow at posting lately. I have good reasons... and will most likely be posting on them sometime soon. Anyway, we're still loving our return to normal life and this slightly warmer weather we've been having! It just means more opportunities to play in the snow for our little adventurers!

Week-end Trip #2

It's too bad I didn't get more pictures when we were with D.R.'s family! Or, maybe that's a good thing... it just means I was busy enjoying the celebration! Below is a pic of our very first Kids' Table. Won't it be fun watching the table get bigger and bigger as the younger grandkids grow?

It was a busy place, with six children, 4 and under... and FIVE boys! I'm also posting a video of the boys and their cousing, Jake, attacking Uncle Chad. It had to be the highlight of the week-end for our boys!

Home, at last!

After three busy week-ends of holiday traveling, we are finally back home and loving it. Don't get me wrong, it was fantastic being able to see family and celebrate with loved ones, but traveling takes far more out of us now that we have children. It makes me truly appreciate all the family vacations we took as children... Mom and Dad must have had the endurance of champions! Anyway, these are a few pics from our first week-end away. The boys loved seeing Great Granny and Granddaddy and it was so good for D.R. and me to have time with them, as well. The visit went much too quickly and, of course, we're hoping our next one won't be too far in the future.

Jax joins Granddaddy at left and Dex at right.

Getting the boys to sit still for photos take a lot of work!! :) Jax is with Granddaddy and Dex is with Granny.Our first family photo in ages!! Jax with Dad, Dex with Mom.

When left to their own devices...

I love how the boys just HAVE to be doing what the other is. Sure, they tend to squabble over favorite playthings more frequently than I'd like to admit... but, there are these fabulous moments when I find them sharing so nicely. As I was washing the dishes the other day, I heard the sounds of the little Casio, and peeked around the corner to find them both seated with it resting on their laps. Dex is on the left, Jax is on the right.

In other news, we watched our first Holidazzle Parade as a family last night. What fun! The boys loved all the lights and excitement of seeing what float was going to come next. Somehow, we lucked out and found ourselves outside on the warmest night of the week. Iwas holding Jax and D.R. was holding Dex. In between floats, Jax kept pointing to the skyscrapers above us saying, "There are people up there!" Sure enough, as I peered high above, there were people still working in the offices above us. Why don't we all take the time to look around us?