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twowhat?
05-18-2010, 11:23 PM
I know I am. The kids don't go to bed until 9pm and require my full attention until then. I don't get a chance at doing dishes/cooking/picking up until after they are in bed. It's almost 10:30pm here. I'm just sitting down to eat my dinner (yep, we are STILL not able to eat dinner when the girls eat their dinner). I am hoping to be in bed by 11pm so that if I am lucky I might get 7 hours of sleep. Which is nowhere near the amount of sleep I actually need. Only to do it again tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that...

Ack I just wasted a couple minutes here...

fivi2
05-19-2010, 09:12 AM
lol - I have noticed the lack of new posts! Sorry things are so stressful right now!

We are still mired in discipline issues, but I always feel like mine are older than most of you guys'. (4.5) For the most part our issues don't appear to be twin related. They have totally switched though - my formerly compliant twin is now the one who tantrums all the time!

Still debating whether or not to add to our family...

Hope everything is going well for you all!

WatchingThemGrow
05-19-2010, 09:17 AM
I'm going to pop in here and say yes. Although I'm not a twin mom, I've been taking care of another baby the same age as my DS2 - so basically b/g twins who are 11mos, plus my PTing 2yo and my newly 4yo. I can't imagine how you guys do it, esp. those who have 2 other DC to look after. Holey Moley, this is hard. They are fun to watch crawling around and playing though. I feel like a hall monitor since I kinda hang out in the hallway and watch them all mill about in different rooms.

BeachBum
05-19-2010, 09:34 AM
Mine are 16 mo now....So much fun! But hard too....
Sleep is still our biggest struggle. I havent' STTN since before they were born. It sucks!

I also struggle to know how to handle a more physically agressive kid. One of mine always takes the other's toys away. I just don't know how often or if I should interfere. If the victim gets upset I usually step in, but if he just moves on to something else I usually let it go. Thoughts?

fivi2
05-19-2010, 09:57 AM
Mine are 16 mo now....So much fun! But hard too....
Sleep is still our biggest struggle. I havent' STTN since before they were born. It sucks!

I also struggle to know how to handle a more physically agressive kid. One of mine always takes the other's toys away. I just don't know how often or if I should interfere. If the victim gets upset I usually step in, but if he just moves on to something else I usually let it go. Thoughts?

Well, my girls always take turns being the more aggressive one, so I usually let them work it out themselves. But if one were developing the pattern of always being dominant, I might feel the need to step in. I don't want them to develop that sort of dynamic, iykwim.

Momof3Labs
05-19-2010, 11:42 AM
We're army crawling here. DD1 is starting to pull up, DD2 prefers to eat the dog's food (YUCK!!). Both eat like teenage boys - I can't believe the quantity of food that they can pack away. And still not sleeping through the night, though nights that they have a good dinner including some protein are usually better - one will usually wake twice, and the other once or twice. We keep on getting the advice to let them CIO but they are both persistent and tend to wake each other up when crying - plus the risk of the boys waking up!

Other than that, I'm trying to support my mom as she navigates the early days of her breast cancer diagnosis. Went to a surgeon's appt with her last week and got a better sense for what lies ahead. At a minimum, she needs a lumpectomy on both sides but it might turn into a mastectomy on one side (depending on how the next biopsy goes) - in that case, they'd recommend a double mastectomy. It sounds like so much for VERY small spots (no bigger than 1cm) caught very early but it has to do with location as much as size.

Finally, I'm trying to plan our first vacation with all four kids. Disney in December. My mom was going to go along to help (and I'm still going to plan to take her, even if she can't help as much, but hopefully the treatment will all be behind her by then). Just got a discount code for our dates so I need to call to make ressies. Can't decide whether we should do two rooms at a Value or spring for two rooms at POFQ or POR...

TwinFoxes
05-19-2010, 11:52 AM
I havent' STTN since before they were born. It sucks!

WOW! :hug: I can't even imagine.


I also struggle to know how to handle a more physically agressive kid. One of mine always takes the other's toys away. I just don't know how often or if I should interfere. If the victim gets upset I usually step in, but if he just moves on to something else I usually let it go. Thoughts?

Mine take turns being the aggressor as well. If it's a really aggressive take away, I'll step in even if the other DD doesn't seem to mind. I don't want them to get the idea they can just grab things from other kids. But sometimes one will just kind of take it more casually. It seems more like forced sharing, if that makes sense, like one will realize the other wants it more, and is cool with that.

Our biggest struggle is lack of talking. They know some words, and some signs, but there's a lot of "gah" and "eh eh" in differing tones to get their points across. I'm pretty good at figuring things out, but it sometimes leads to a lot of frustration on all of our parts. Oddly, they are really good at animal sounds. They will do the sound instead of saying the name of the animal. Their sound vocabulary is very extensive, your basic cow, dog, cat, duck...but we've also included goose, elephant, penguins, rabbits and whales.

fivi2
05-19-2010, 01:03 PM
Lori - sending positive thoughts your way (and your mom's way).

TwinMama2B
05-19-2010, 02:01 PM
We're army crawling here.

Us too, well one is... the other prefers to just roll around and swivel on her tummy to get around. Pretty good sitters, but I swear I have the biggest complex every time I see other kids around their age doing WAY more. I know each baby develops differently, but I so often worry that we're not doing something right with them, that they should be full on crawling and pulling up, maybe cruising by now.

Still sleeping through the night mostly, but my roly-poly girl has done this off and on somewhat-asleep screaming 5-min routine, over and over for about an hour and then back to sleep. We've figured out to just leave her alone, or she really wakes up and then it's sleeping in the glider/recliner on us for the rest of the night.

gatorsmom
05-21-2010, 12:23 AM
yeah, I am swamped here. It's not even that I have so much running to do with the older boys. Its just that I do not get anything accomplished when I am alone with the twins. Greenbean is VERY insistent about gettng my attention and loses his temper quickly and dramatically. So even just making a few phone calls is so hard. And if I don't give him my full attention immediately, he starts hitting Sisi. They are both in the terrible 2s full blast right now. Even the older boys do their best to avoid the ttwins. Whenever one of the twins wants something they are playing with, Gator and cha cha just say, "take it" and walk away. They know they'll get clobbered if they don't. And I do give time outs but if I gave them each one every time they deserved it, I'd never get ANYTHING done because they still don't sit still in time out. I have to hold them on my lap.

I dont think too many of my issues with Greenbean and Sisi are a twins thing. I think Greenbean in particular just going through something right now that i can't figure out. I usually post in the multiples forum when I have a twin-related issue.

It's weird how peaceful the house is when the twins are napping every afternoon. The boys and I play board games and have a great time. Thank GOD for those cribtents!!!!

Lori, I'm saying prayers for your mom. I've been where you are now and it's stressful and scary. Lots of prayers going to you and your mom.

twowhat?
05-21-2010, 02:51 PM
I really really really just want to go back to being a SAHM :gloomy:

NOW I feel like I am working 2 full-time jobs. I know this depends on the job itself (and I don't wanna get into a SAHM/WOHM debate, I've already opened a bigger can of worms than I wanted in the Lounge and I'm feeling craptastic about it lately). But this SUCKS. IT SUCKS IT SUCKS IT SUCKS. IT SUCKS.

fivi2
05-21-2010, 06:42 PM
I really really really just want to go back to being a SAHM :gloomy:

NOW I feel like I am working 2 full-time jobs. I know this depends on the job itself (and I don't wanna get into a SAHM/WOHM debate, I've already opened a bigger can of worms than I wanted in the Lounge and I'm feeling craptastic about it lately). But this SUCKS. IT SUCKS IT SUCKS IT SUCKS. IT SUCKS.

I'm sorry this is a hard time for you. Don't feel bad about the other thread, I agree that more people probably do it than admit it!

I wanted to respond to your question about taking the non-sick one in if the twin is sick (but I thought it'd get lost in there) and yes, I have taken the non-sick twin to pre-school when her sister stays home. And actually both times the twin did not get the illness (which rarely happens).

gotta run!

twowhat?
05-21-2010, 10:18 PM
I'm sorry this is a hard time for you. Don't feel bad about the other thread, I agree that more people probably do it than admit it!

I wanted to respond to your question about taking the non-sick one in if the twin is sick (but I thought it'd get lost in there) and yes, I have taken the non-sick twin to pre-school when her sister stays home. And actually both times the twin did not get the illness (which rarely happens).

gotta run!

Thank you. I was hoping someone would have some experience in this:) I just couldn't decide, because EVERY time one of our girls gets sick, the other gets sick in 3-4 days. We've only had a handful of illnesses during the time I SAH but they both always got sick.

I am just not embracing the SAHM/WOHM transition right now:( But thanks, your words do make me feel better.

fivi2
05-22-2010, 10:12 AM
I was really conflicted about taking the non-sick twin in. But it was fall festival day :) But then I thought about it - dh doesn't stay home from work if someone in the house is sick. In elementary I never stayed home if my older sister was sick. It would mean a ton of sick days! And that particular time (and one other time in the spring) the other twin didn't get sick. I even posted here asking others what they do - I'll look for the thread.

I can't imagine how tough the transition is! I hope you are able to figure out a good balance!

eta: so it wasn't my thread, I just posted in it :) My memory is failing...

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=340059&highlight=sick+child

dowlinal
05-22-2010, 10:50 AM
Life in my house is crazy. I am constantly running from one activity to another for my older two, usually with my boys in tow. There are also tons of year end stuff now and I'm planning my boys' first birthday party. I'm turning my backyard into a Mickey Mouse carnival so I've been busy sewing and creating all the games and stuff.

My boys are into everything. Alex is fully walking and Nick is cruising along behind him. The work together to get through gates, baby locks, ect. They also eat like sailors. I am contantly shoveling food in their mouths. Fortunately they're not picky so atleast they're easy to please. I am still nursing Nick a few times a day, but Alex is clearly weaning. He's down to once a day and that's only before bedtime when he's half asleep. I am considering weaning Nick in a few weeks, but I hate the thought of weaning my last babies. Nick is sleeping through on most nights, but Alex is up 1-2 times a night. The years of sleep depravation are really killing me right now. I need to get more sleep or I think I am going to lose my mind.

Oh and we've dropped the morning nap so I am pretty much on the go from 6:00am with them. When they nap at noon, I try to get stuff done around the house, and the once they are in bed, I've got the other two waiting for Mommy time.

twowhat?
05-22-2010, 11:33 AM
I was really conflicted about taking the non-sick twin in. But it was fall festival day :) But then I thought about it - dh doesn't stay home from work if someone in the house is sick. In elementary I never stayed home if my older sister was sick. It would mean a ton of sick days! http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=340059&highlight=sick+child

Yup, I had exactly the same thoughts...but then I thought...my girls share EVERYTHING. Chapstick, cups, bowls, spoons, plates, toys, towels, sunscreen, lotion, bathtub, etc. I used to try to keep everything separate in case one got sick but now I laugh that I even tried. It's too hard. So even when one gets sick, I don't go out of my way to keep all their stuff separated. If it absolutely guaranteed that the other twin wouldn't get sick then I absolutely would keep everything separated. But, sadly, that's not the kind of guarantee anyone can make:)

I do think that when they get older, and it is easier to explain to them that sharing her sick sister's spoon could get her sick as well, covering noses/mouths for coughs and sneezes, etc. THEN I will try to keep their stuff separate. Hahaha by then they'll both be immune to most of the bugs in our community anyway. Ah, well!

For those of you who have twins AND other DC: :bowdown: I really don't know how you do it. I know you do it because you have to, but WOW.

gatorsmom
05-22-2010, 01:20 PM
Yup, I had exactly the same thoughts...but then I thought...my girls share EVERYTHING. Chapstick, cups, bowls, spoons, plates, toys, towels, sunscreen, lotion, bathtub, etc. I used to try to keep everything separate in case one got sick but now I laugh that I even tried. It's too hard. So even when one gets sick, I don't go out of my way to keep all their stuff separated. If it absolutely guaranteed that the other twin wouldn't get sick then I absolutely would keep everything separated. But, sadly, that's not the kind of guarantee anyone can make:)



For those of you who have twins AND other DC: :bowdown: I really don't know how you do it. I know you do it because you have to, but WOW.

I used to try to separate everything too but I realized there really was no guarantee that they wouldn't get sick so I quit bothering with that. And by the way, if I used daycare and only one twin was sick, yes, absolutely I'd take the other twin to daycare and then stay home with the sick one. They so rarely get one-on-one mommy time, kwim? Getting mommy all t themselves is kind of a special treat when they are sick. :)

As for having older children, it is VERY busy here but at least with 2 older children I"ve accumulated a lot of tricks to make life simpler. I have my systems of how I do things down pat. I can do a lot of things without even thinking about it. and I'm much more confident with how to handle things. That previous experience is invaluable. I sometimes wonder how new parents of twins do it!