Intrepid Murmurings

Today, I took Elsie and Delia to one of those bargain grocery outlet stores that has tons of random stuff (especially canned foods) for CHEAP.  I mostly shop at a few stores close to me that have the double (or triple/quad!) carts, so that all the girls can stay in the cart.  But I like a good bargain and you cannot go wrong stocking up the pantry at this outlet store, which sadly, only has one-seaters.  What to do?  I could use the double stroller, but that means pushing a cart and stroller,  a feat I'd rather not attempt.  And the stroller basket is just not adequate for a pile of cans and frozen goods. 

Easy solution!  I strapped Delia on my back in the Beco, and Elsie went in the cart.  Easy peasy.  We got our shopping done with tons of great deals and had time to go home and unload them all before picking up Emma from school.  

Recently, there has been tons in the news about baby slings, and the dangers some of them present.  I have seen lots of folks posting about the warnings, which is good, but it also seems many people are lumping ALL slings and carriers together, thinking that all are dangerous.  This is not true!  There are so many wonderful, comfortable and safe carriers for newborns all the way up to toddlers, and it worries me that a few bad ones might turn off many new parents to the concept of babywearing all together.  

The recent warnings have been about a specific kind of sling, bag slings, that are pretty awful on all accounts, but sadly fairly popular and easy to find in all the big baby gear stores.   They are huge and deep (which I think make some folks feel safer about the baby not "falling out") and cover the baby way too much, so that they can get stuck in a bad position for breathing (chin to chest) or smother in the excess fabric.  The parent often can't see the baby in there, and it can flop around because its not tight against the adult wearers body.  Not good!  I am so glad these carriers are finally being called out as unsafe -- I know people in the babywearing community have been concerned about it for years.   

But!  There are so many great other types of baby slings and carriers!  That are shallower, that hold the baby upright,  body to body, close to the parent, who can see, feel, and monitor the baby continuously.   Babywearing in good supportive carriers have been shown to HELP regulate breathing, help decrease crying, promote breastfeeding and boost milk supply, raise IQ, among other great benefits.  In toddlers it helps calm or prevent tantrums and is a great way to curb other frustrating but common and age appropriate behaviors.  And with multiples or more than one child, it can allow you to go places and do things you otherwise just couldn't do.     

Here are a few good links that respond to the current concerns and show the do's and don't of babywearing safety. This is an awesome sling safety overview by Jan of Sleeping Baby productions (one of my favorites) on the hazards of bag slings, with photos of the various "bad" brands.  The babywearer.com is a HUGE resource of babywearing info, and they have some useful links listed right on the main page, including this great how-to on proper sling and carrier positioning with helpful photographs.  I also found this response article cowritten by many of the major (safe) sling brands really helpful and reassuring, as well.   

We used a slew of different carriers with Emma, and each had its pros and cons.  I wore her a ton and I know it helped us tremendously with our breastfeeding challenges, fussiness and crying, and sleep.  It enabled me to get out easily, without a stroller.  It allowed for great bonding between Emma and me and her dad.  

With Elsie and Delia, carriers were critical early on to breastfeeding again.  Because of my low milk supply, very frequent nursings were critical to our success.  I was able to nurse a baby in a sling while shopping, at the park, or out on a walk without anyone even noticing.  Once when they were 10 days old I took both girls solo to REI, and was able to tandem nurse without most people noticing that, either, since both girls were hidden under the fabric of the sling (a few moms around me did, and were very supportive, which was nice!).  

In the first 6 months or so, I wore one or both babies frequently when walking Emma to daycare, or soothing them both to sleep.   How else could I soothe them both other than nursing?  Slings and carriers saved the day.   Nowadays, I don't wear them all that often -- but at times when they are driving me nuts, are sad, clingy or sick, or we are just needing to go somewhere not conducive to multiple toddlers, I am so thankful to have my carriers on hand.   

Here are some pictures I pulled out of our annals from the past 4 years.  It was fun to look back!  Man time flies.  

 
Breastfeeding in the sling was extremely helpful for me both around the house and out and about. 

Emma asleep in the sling at a Mariners baseball game.

  
A quiet moment with mama (Emma) 

 
Emma conked out after an evening walk -- so helpful for sleep resistors!

  
Out for a walk at 1.5 weeks old.  Newborn in the stretchy wrap on my chest (under coat), another in the twin stroller with big sis! 

 
Daddy working his magic (I am thinking baby on the left is admittedly a little more "chin to chest" than is best, after seeing the current safety recommendations!) 

  
Elsie or Delia out for some fresh air with Daddy

 
This is the only pic I have of me wearing both twins, which I did a lot for awhile when they were small.  DIY K'tan carrier (thanks Heidi!) on front, Beco Butterfly on back. 

Easy to have fun with your other kids at the park even when one needs a nap...

Check out my babywearing gallery for a bunch of other photos!   

So I am having this issue where my laptop no longer "wakes up" when plugged in after running out of battery. It used to always to that, bringing up everything I had going before it turned off, but now I have to restart it, losing all the open widows, emails and awesome but unsaved blog postings progress. Drat! My husband had a bit of sympathy for me last night, but mostly had the very good point that I do get multiple warnings, over the period of a half hour or so, that this is imminent. So now I am working on both saving my work AND getting my behind off the couch to plug in before all life is extinguished. You'd think I could manage that, no?

So today, and perhaps in the next hour, I hope to get up my post on activity bag playmats that was unfortunately lost due to my laziness last night! But, I also have to get three girls (and myself) dressed, hair and teeth brushed, shoes and coats on, and snacks for later packed. I am excited because later this morning, after we drop Emma at preschool, Elsie and Delia have their first gymnastics class! The are so physical and enthusiastic and brave when it comes to stuff like this (unlike their super cautious big sis at this age), and from what I have seen when they go to the open gym, I think they will have a blast. Its a parent and toddler class, so the trick is how to manage two of them with just me --sometimes at classes like this they do a lot of one on one things where you just have leave one twin sitting there alone while all the other kids and parents are doing something fun. Sad! But, so far this gym has been great, and I know the class is small and the instructors very willing to help, so I'm pretty sure that won't happen.

I'll let you know how it goes! Stay tuned for that playmat post, coming soon!

As any parent knows, getting out of the house with a baby/toddler/preschooler is, well, not always easy.  Times two or more?  Overwhelming and seemingly impossible, especially at first.  I really didn't go out much the first few months after my twins were born, mostly due to the constant breasfeeding and nap attempts, but at some point as a stay-at-home parent of 3 young kids I found I really had to, both to get things done and to maintain sanity (mine and theirs!).  

I think a lot of it is just trial and error, learning from your mistakes and what works best for you and your kids.  Once you have few tricks in your bag, or your kids are old enough to be slightly reliable, things DO get a lot easier.  The hardest part for me still is getting us all ready and OUT the damn door in the first place.  I'm sure they won't work for everyone, but here a few things I have learned along the way: 

-Until they were walking (or about a month after) I relied heavily on the stroller (or carts) even for short trips.  I would sometimes wear one or both in carriers (I did this for Emma's daycare dropoffs that were a block down the street from our house).  But, they were smaller then -- I hardly ever wear them now!  Up until recently I have been known to do the double heft (more of a dangle) with one kid under each arm, but thats not exactly graceful or comfortable for us all.  I still use the stroller if its a longer walk or if I know we will be somewhere awhile.  I use snacks to keep them in there if they get antsy and try to always keep moving. 

--About a month after they started walking (so 16ish months) I started ditching the stroller for short runs in, like preschool dropoff for Emma. I would park close, get one baby out, then have her sit on the floor of the car on the side where I was unbuckling her sisters.  My body/leg would block her from climbing out. Then I would walk them in with a hand holding each (or in a pinch, I hold both of their hands in one of mine, like to open doors, etc).  Backpack as a diaper bag is key here -- so I have two hands free.  Its gotten easier as they've become steadier walkers, for sure.  

--Around 18 months I had the idea to start teaching them to "stand on the wall" -- or against the car, a counter, etc.  At Emma's school we can park right up against the sidewalk so I have them stand with their backs touching the wall of the building.  They stand there, frozen, like glue -- its amazing (and feels somewhat militant, but oh well)!  I had to work with them on it but two months later I feel totally comfortable leaving one against the wall while I get the other in and out of the car, etc.  Its just a routine/procedure they know and it works every time.  It helps in places like the library, too, where I can tell them to stand against the wall/counter while I check out, etc.  Who knows if/when this method will fail me, but for now its working great.  

-- I also do things like have them help me carry a bag in, so both girls are holding onto it and we kind of herd along that way.  I remembered seeing daycares where all the kids hold onto a rope, so this is in that vein.  Shopping carts or even my coat can work too -- they all hold on and we shuffle along.  Not foolproof, esp. with bolters, but right now its mostly working for us.  

-- When they were first walking (and even now sometimes) Elsie would just run off and I found that the shoes with squeakers in them really help me keep tabs on where she is.  Her bolting time is most often in our driveway when she is going around the car while I get Delia, and its great for me to hear where she is and know if and when she is headed for the street.  When I bought those shoes at the twins sale I honestly didn't know they had squeakers (and prob wouldn't have bought them if I had known) but its been a worthwhile purchase for us.  

--I would absolutely consider backpack harnesses/leashes, too.  There were a few months (16-19 or so) where I thought seriously about them but never got around to it and now I am finding I don't need them.  I think.  I am sure things could get dicey again as we enter the 2's...

--At 20 months in they are really good about holding my hand, so I walk them most places with one on either side of me no problem.  If we are going a long way Elsie will balk at holding hands (she used to refuse for even shorter stints) but I have just insisted for in/out things in parking lots or on streets (and if she refused I carried her in one arm while walking Delia in the other) so she has finally accepted it.  

Luckily, Emma is extremely cautious so I don't often have to worry about her straying away from me too far, especially around cars.  She will just walk next to us or hold onto something of mine and I am extremely grateful for that.  Whew.  

"standing against the wall", or rather, the car... 

Yesterday we were outside walking around my parents yard to ward off the late afternoon whinies.  Emma was off with my mom riding the tractor, Elsie and Delia had gotten out and were walking around the house on the lawn.  Elsie, who was holding a piece of apple, tripped in the thick grass and dropped her apple.  I helped her up and then kept walking, eventually sitting down on the steps.  Delia was wandering around with me, then sat down on the steps too.  Elsie was frozen in place back across the yard.  

I called out for her several times for her to come over to us, but she just stood there.  She has done this before -- she gets worried about something (this time, falling in the grass and maybe not having a hand to balance/catch herself?) and just stands there, forEVER, until someone rescues her.  I didn't feel like getting up so I let her stand there for a bit (heh) and told her to come over to us once more.  

At this point Delia got up and walked right over to her.  "Got it!" she hollered to me, as she grabbed Elsie's coat and started pulling.  Elsie obliged and finally started walking, ha ha!  I told Delia to hold her hand instead, so she did, and they held hands and walked over to me and the steps. Elsie was totally fine (and I think a bit relieved) with Delia coming to help her out.   It was a really sweet moment.  They are such good buddies sometimes!

This post is part of the Mom's 30 Minute Blog Challenge, over on SteadyMom.  A great idea, go check it out! 

I couldn't help myself in taking these pictures, at various points this morning.  It was  a great sunny day, the girls were in a pretty good mood (Emma was at school) and the outfits were just too cute!  Delia is in blue, Elsie in pink.  They are L.L. Bean raincoats, kate quinn organics kimono dresses (gotten for a steal on a Mini Social sale -- if you need an invite, let me know!), and BabyLegs.  Love them all!  

Yesterday Delia fell and hit her face on a little table.  She wanted to nurse, so I let her.  Elsie immediately wanted to as well, but I declined.  My general rule these days is if we nursing for a hurt, I only nurse the injured party.    

So then, Elsie went over to the table, and very gently touched her head to the table a couple times.  Then uttered a big fake cry, and hurried over to me saying "Mokie!  Mokie!".   Points for creativity, and acting skills taboot!  I succumbed.   

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Lonnie (after smelling something's amiss):  "Who's poopy"?

In unison...

Elsie: "Dee Dee"

Delia "Eee-sie"  

Conclusion, after facts checked: both

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The following scene I happened upon a few days ago.  E & D were playing very quietly together over in the corner, with some of the dollhouse stuff.  They had the oven and stove part from the kitchen set, and a teeny tiny little pot, which lately has been forbidden for them since they always put it in their mouths (and have bitten the handles off several of them!).  It was out though, and they were having a great time opening and closing the oven door and putting the pot in and out.  They were totally doing it together and so pleased with it.  When I "caught" them, Delia totally gave me this look of guilty glee (because they aren't supposed to be playing with those tiny pieces) and I had to take some pics.  

Before they knew I was watching them.

Busted! Delia knows they're getting away with something.

Who me?  I'm innocent!  

Elsie checking me out.

Elsie showing me the pot.

Mmmm....drinking from the tiny pot. 

I just wanted to give a shout out to Carrie of Tubeless in Seattle -- she just posted a summery of her efforts to breastfeed her triplets and woo, I am impressed!  Sounds like she is doing great!  Yay, Carrie!  

I feel like there is such a lack of knowledge, understanding and support for nursing multiples (as well as birthing multiples, but thats a topic for another post!).  There can be so many obstacles early on, particularly if the babies are preemies.  The time factor with twins or more is huge.  Since breastfeeding is such a private, behind doors and wraps thing in our culture, I think going in many new mothers (me included!) have no idea how much TIME it can take in the early months, even with an efficient nurser or decent milk supply.  Its a big shock to realize how much of your life is about nursing for awhile there!  Add a second or third baby and its quite overwhelming!  But it is often so possible.  I think the "tribe" support is key -- which I was so lucky and thankful to have.   I am positive I could not have managed a toddler and nursing twins if it were not for my support crew.  Thanks everyone!  

Thanks to Aunty Emily and Aunty Reagen!  We love our new coats!

There are not many toys more aptly designed for twins than a teeter totter...

Soon after I learned we were having twins, I joined our local twins/multiples club.  I figured it would be a good way to reach out and meet other families with twins or more, and also really wanted to get the benefits of getting in early to the baby gear sales that they offer twice a year.  

It was absolutely worth it just for that -- I LOVE the sales!  The gear and clothes are often gently used and very well priced, and you get the thrill of going in ahead of the big general public line to swipe these awesome deals.  Wheee!  In the early days I got things like strollers, bouncers, cloth diapers, etc at the sales -- now, I always go straight to the shoe section and stock up on that and our next round of clothes.  I could also sell some of our gear at the sales, but so far the time commitment and organization needed for that has been too much for me!  

The club also has other benefits, like an online message forum, which is a really great support when you are shut in at home all day.   I have other online parenting forums I am partial to, but for things specific to twins or multiples, its nice to have other folks to bounce ideas off of, or to just get sympathy and support.   There are things like nursing and sleep issues, as well as general getting out of the house challenges, that moms (or dads) of singletons just don't get.  

The aspect that has mostly eluded me so far, however, is meeting up with other parents and families of twins face to face, in real life.  I would love to have a bunch of twin/triplet mamas to hang out with, to swap stories and ideas have our kids play -- part support group, part playgroup, or just mama friends to get together with on a more individual basis.   I had this when Emma was a baby, and it was great!

If the twins had been my first kids, it would have been easier to do this.  Both the twins group and another parenting group in the area has meetings or twin groups like this, based on age of the babies.  But, you can't really bring older children!  Even if it was allowed, in the early days (the first year or so) if I did get out to something like that, I spent almost all my time entertaining or managing my 2 year old (not to mention the two babies!) and couldn't follow a conversation with other adults to save my life.  I think a lot of the more organized groups tend to cater to first time parents, too, so they were sometimes discussing things that were more first time parent concerns, not twin/multiple kid concerns, necessarily -- which is what I needed!  

So awhile back I volunteered with my multiples club to help work on playdates and outings -- for kids 12 months and beyond. This is when I finally was able to start taking my kids somewhere and actually have fun -- maybe because Emma is a bit older and easier to handle, and also that the babies are so much more flexible and easy in terms of feeding and sleep (hallelujah!).  We are trying to get some playdates going in various neighborhoods around the city, and also outings to places like the zoo or children's museum, where we meet up and hang out together.   My main goal is to start seeing people on a more regular basis, so we can get to know each other better and maybe make some new family friends with multiples.  Unfortunately, its been a bit harder than I expected!   

Part of it is that my efforts have been half-hearted --  after a few initial failures (just no shows, due to a variety of reasons) I haven't put in the time organizing the events as well as I should.  Its easy to put off something when there are not others banging down your door to have it done! There are tons of folks that love the IDEA of getting together, but coordinating interests, ages of children and schedules (with many folks working part time) can take time and a lot of organization.  And then there's the size issue -- if you get even get 5-6 families worth of kids and parents (each with 2-4 kids), thats a BIG group! Where do you go?  Who has room and is willing to host?  

I think the biggest issue facing us, and certainly my number one problem, is that its HARD to get two or more kids out of the house and to organized events, especially across town.  Its hard working around naps, mealtimes and school schedules times two or three.  There's the illnesses that crop up one after the other and last for ages, leaving you to what feels like a life in quarantine!  When everyone is healthy, there is still big allure for groups and events within your neighborhood, but with our club and this specific demographic (people with multiples 1-4 years old-ish), we don't have enough critical mass in any one neigborhood (at leat not mine!) and some folks are going to have to travel.   

But!  I do have hope!  We just got some more volunteers from the club to help, and got a bunch of dates on the calendar.   I am really hoping we can make some kind of schedule for regular, re-occurring get-togethers that folks can start putting on the calendar and planning ahead for.  I think it would be awesome for my girls to know some other twins, and I'd love to make some twin-or-more mama friends.   Where else will I get the hot tips on what parks are totally fenced in, what stores have carts for two or more kids*, or what twin umbrella stroller is the awesomest?   We'll see if this time we can get the ball rolling...

Anyone out there have experiences with playgroups for multiples?  Ideas for outings thats fun and managable?  Where did you meet your mamas of multiples friends, and how and where do you meet up?  

*  In my area I know that Costco and Safeway have two-seaters,  while QFC & Target have a FEW that seat four!  I am always on the lookout for more...  

Recently a new twin mama from my multiples club was feeling guilty about how one of her babies was demanding so much more attention than the other.  I think this is a very common problem with multiples, and one that really tugs at the heartstrings. Here are my thoughts on the issue...  

I know the feeling! I had a similar situation.  I felt like everyone who visited in the early days always got to hang out with Delia, because she was so much calmer and easygoing.  And also that she spent a lot more time in bouncers, swings, on the floor, etc. Elsie was my fussier & needier one then, and she was always nursing, in arms or in a carrier on me.

The best piece of advice I latched on to is the concept that "fair is not equal" (and "equal is not fair"!). Meaning, with twins (or just siblings), each baby/kid will have their own needs, that just will not be the same, and it wouldn't be right to treat them the same. The amount of time you spend with each kid will vary depending on the hour, the day, the month, the year. As they get older, you will need to spend more time helping one with sleep, or another with eating (or math, reading, soccer, etc!). This seems totally obvious when considering different age siblings, but it certainly applies to same age sibs as well!

When they are so young, it really is harder to not feel guilty about, but do trust that if the baby seems happy and content, she is! And that this time will pass! My more needy baby (Elsie) turned into the more easygoing young toddler (for the most part) and is now the one that can easily transfer to others/accept new situations, and my easygoing baby (Delia) is a lot more hesitant and tentative about new things now as a toddler!  I am sure they will flip flop over and over as they get older.

Some tips, though:  

-If you can put the needier baby in a carrier or sling, that helped me a lot. Around 3 months I was able to put her on my back in my Beco carrier and then I had more hands/space to interact with my other baby or my toddler.

-When you are holding one, still face the other baby towards you in the bouncer or whatever and talk to her often, make eye contact, etc. I found just talking to her a lot helped me feel like she was not being ignored.

-Set aside special times to hang out one on one with the less needy twin. I would take her on outings or errands by herself sometimes (because she was so much easier to travel with!) and that was fun and good for us both.

Someone else in the group (I cannot claim this one but wanted to add it here as well!) made the very good point that you also should sometimes just LET the Needy Baby fuss or cry while you take a turn with the calmer baby, and do not ALWAYS tend to Needy Baby first.  Excellent advice!  I definitely did that a lot as well (or took that a step further and tended to the older sister, letting both babies fuss or cry, ha ha!).  Now, though, all three of my girls are amazingly patient, which I think is a pretty great (and necessary) character trait in our family.

Any other tips from my mama of multiple readers?  Or just mamas of more than one? 

Lately the little girls have been really cute in the way they play and hang out together.  They love each other so much and definitely do have a special bond.  They hug and kiss each other when they are hurt (or to make up after a fight, ha ha), pat each others cheeks or shoulders when they are both nursing, and help each other out by getting or giving up stuff that the other wants sometimes (not always though, of course!!!).  When one is having fun or laughing at something, the other ones eyes always light up and often they seem almost as happy watching the fun than actually participating in it.  In the early mornings, if one has been sleeping with me and the other in their room, they both are so happy to see the other and settle in for a good cuddle.  

Yesterday, they were entertaining each other playing peek a boo in the living room curtains.  They were having a blast and talking and laughing together.  Sadly, no pictures or video of that one, but it was funny in the moment! 

I absolutely don't expect them to always be like this, to always "get" each other or even want to spend time together -- they are unique individuals and I am sure they will struggle with their twinness as well as enjoy it sometimes.  But these moments, which happen so often these days, are really sweet and definitely a heartwarming part of having twins!    

Today the girls were all having snack around the living room play table.  Often Elsie and Delia have two separate bowls but eat out of them interchangeably -- they kind of share both (unless I am really lazy and only make them one to share between them, ha ha).  Today Delia headed over to Elsie's bowl and Elsie yelled MINE!  And moved to block Delia from her bowl (a move totally stolen from Emma, hee). I fear a new dawn has come, and it's name is Possessiveness. Oh joy.  

I guess I have seen it coming with toys, though.  Lately we've had many (generally mild) skirmishes over toys, which believe it or not is a somewhat new occurrence.  I was surprised how long we made it without more arguments (I am not talking about Emma here -- we often have major sharing/toy issues with her and the babies, which is pretty normal I think).  Hot items for the littles these days: dress up hats, necklaces, or ropes and cords to dangle around ones neck, books, especially The Current Favorite, Where Is the Green Sheep, high chairs when its anywhere close to meal time, Emma's booster seat when it is on the floor, stools, play grocery carts, and bikes.  

Speaking of high chairs, we just got a new one and we LOVE it.  It was high time, as the booster that we have been using up until now is just NOT comfortable for older kids (Emma hated it too around this age) and mealtime was becoming increasingly difficult because of it.  I've been eyeing the Stokke Tripp Trapp for ages, but the price tag on that one was just too much.  This one is spendy, too, but still 100 smackers less, and worth it, as it will be used for years to come.  Now Emma wishes she had one too!  

Holy moly Delia is talking up a storm these days.  TONS of new words, every day.  Current funny/new ones: hole (in the wall near the changing table, and also the drain of the sink), broom,  pumpkin,  okay!, rain (also does the sign for this), bye bye (had for awhile but using it a TON for all sorts of things now), Elsie (!), and tons of others that she echos me on all day long. Elsie is also saying lots of things (including her own name for the first time yesterday, woohoo!), but its just not as noticable or understandable than Delia's current explosion.  

Another thing happening a lot these days: tackling.  These girls are so physical!  Any time someone is lying on the floor they seem to be fair game for jumping on or tackling.  They both do it to each other, and to Emma if she is on the ground.  Climb On Mama has been a favorite game for a long, long, long time, but now it has evolved to leaping/jumping on Mama, which is a fair bit less pleasant, especially when its two (or three!) of them at once.  Ooooof!  I think we will have to come up with some rules for this soon, but its hard to ban it altogether since they can have such fun with it a lot of the time.  Currently whoever is underneath starts hollering if they are not happy and I pry whoever is on top off and put her somewhere else (while explaining that that hurts, interpreting for them what the other one is "saying" ).  Sometimes this is effective, sometimes not.   Here is a picture of a recent three kid pileup. They were all enjoying it but very soon after this Elsie (at the bottom) decided she had had enough. 

Today Delia fell off something (a foam climbing block? Her bike?) and was flat on her back in the living room, crying.  I was talking to her and expressing sympathy but not actually moving from my pile of laundry, heh.  Elsie was eyeing the scene and jumped off her bike and went over and gave her several big hugs and kisses, and patted her head.  SO CUTE! They do this a fair bit but its usually somewhat prompted, as in NO TACKLING YOUR SISTER, give her a hug (hug follows), or WE DON'T PULL EACH OTHERS CLOTHES AND HAIR, gentle touches only,  give your sister a hug and a kiss (hug and kiss follow).  Etc, etc, etc.   Up until recently Delia would always oblige with the kisses and hugs, even if she was the victim (which seems frequently to be the case) so its nice to see Elsie initiating the loves as well.   

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Awhile ago I posted to my multiples club forum asking for experience on older siblings being able to distinguish identical siblings.  Because at 3 years old and 1 year for the little ones, that was still not happening around here.  For more than a year Emma generally referred to Elsie and Delia as "baby" or "this baby/that baby" or "other baby".  She knew their names, and was proud to tell them to folks, she just could not tell them apart and did not try.  I was starting to worry about her bonding to them individually, or having memories of each one versus the two (thats still a stretch, I know) but low and behold....she's figured it out!  And corrects me sometimes, ha ha!  I am still not sure what clicked, or if she is using one of the tricks I taught her, but I don't thinks so.  They both have grown into their own looks that is very easy for us to distinguish, and Emma has caught on as well.  Whew!  

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Sleep is still generally going poorly, with sleeping through the night (by Delia in particular) juuuuuuuust enough to keep me stringing along and not doing the sleep work stuff.  Gotta do it though.  Procrastinate procrastinate procrastinate.  They had a week or so of awesomeness starting the day I was about to start the new regime, and so I dropped it before even starting.  Bah.  

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After an amazing amazing early fall, the rains have begun in Seattle!  Ah, familiar grey wet skies!  And drat, what the heck am I going to do with all this toddler energy?  Man these girls are CRAZY sometimes and really need to get out and do stuff.  They are climbers, runners, sliders and swingers.  They love balls and bikes and water and fun.  I think we will be heading to the community center toddler gyms a LOT in the coming weeks, but geesh, it is such a chore to get us all ready and out of the house, not to mention chasing/mediating/keeping track of three speedy busy kids when we are out in the world.  The park is now both really fun and really stressful for me, now that they Will Not Sit in the stroller.  I sometimes have to literally run after one while leaving the other in semi-precarious places.  Luckily total strangers will often look after one while I am chasing the others...

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I know some of you have seen this but here is a recent and extremely rare shot of all three girls in one picture, all looking happy at the same time!  Wow! I literally only have 5-6 of these total, and most of them look so so, with one or the other looking the wrong way, crying, etc.  They are sitting in my awesome and beloved glider, that we still use daily.  Here are the out-takes and other pictures from October...

Delia, Emma, Elsie