Gotta Be Identical

A loose, crooked front tooth on the left, missing on the right. 

And within two weeks of that and within two hours of each other, they were both front toothless entirely.

When the Power's Out

 We head out.

Everyone wins. 

Until it happens in August when the temp is back over 100 degrees.

Elaine

Turns out, I didn't need to cut their hair different lengths to tell them apart.

We know Elaine by the high barrette count these days. 

Seven or more is Elaine.

Happy Birthday Ladies

We had a smallish party for the girls last Saturday with Aunt Brian and Aunt Lori and Noah.

I was so against ever letting one of these cakes into my kitchen with all of the things stuck on the top, that I gave in entirely and let Elaine decorate the whole thing.
She loved it; I shook my head.



Alida took a nap.

We were all set to head across the street to have a pizza party with cake and gifts.

Then a whole other party rolled into the pavilion with a bouncy house, face painting, a carousel (yes, a carousel), a popcorn machine, and a picnic table full of gifts.

So we opted to keep in low-key and inside. It was so hot anyway....

Happy Fourth ladies.

Rapunzel, any princess garb, and lip gloss made you happy.

And the debate continues whether these ladies are identical or not.

When I Get Bigger

Nicholas: "Mommy, when I get bigger, will you teach me how to tell them apart?"

The Fun Thing

JB Anon, who watched my children eat cereal off the patio without having an outright heart attack last weekend, has taught us a few lessons these past months. Such as how to use an i-phone because that is a skill that 2-year-olds should have...

She also helped us have fun when we were practicing (term applied very loosely) our lines for our big movie audition over the weekend. We lined up the girls and Nicholas and pretended we were Mae Mobley and Aibileen celebrating our third birthday, and it was funny. It was particularly funny when Nicholas did it. If you are familiar with the characters I'm talking about, you know that The Help is a great story. They happen to be making a movie of the book in our area. In the process of trying to convince an agency that my girls were not yet three and not identical (for their 3-5-year-old, identical girl call), I somehow got them invited to try out. So the only rule Patric and I had was that there would be no tears or it wasn't worth it. Well, Elaine figured out how to have a big drama over the whole thing practicing blowing out a candle, but that girl will find away to cry over the wind blowing wrong. So amended: no tears from Alida or it wasn't worth it. So we had fun with very little pressure.

JB Anon met us there with perfect outfits because our wardrobe does not include anything that matches, let alone anything that is solid in color.

And off we went to mingle with a set of 5-year-old twins and a set of 6-year-old twins waiting for the audition. The difference in age/ability/maturity/everything-you-can-think-of was not subtle. Bottom line: the girls are beautiful! They are just the right age for the character! I'm so glad you brought them in because now I can show the producer that I don't think the dialogue is right for the age of child they need. It will be interesting to see what they come up with. In the end though, I'll say that was kind of fun for four days.

Not To Me

Not identical.

Or I need some time away.

Chokit Milk Is Her Name

That's my girl Alida, don't let a dress hinder your comfort.

When Aunt Lori got us the yellow dress with the pink accent, I'm pretty sure she intended it for Elaine, since there was a lovely halter dress in all yellow in the package as well for, we're assuming, Alida. It would go with our general dressing scheme: Some pink=Elaine; Anything else goes=Alida. What a fabulous find to get a yellow dress with a touch of pink.

But then they went and started showing a preference for things. And I think Elaine is sick of pink.

This morning Elaine would have nothing to do with pink. Since we were headed to church where they get a nifty sticker with their picture and name, no big deal. Church doesn't even really know the pink rule.

Nicholas doesn't even know the pink rule either.
Mostly I just get, "Mommy. Is this Lie-la?"
To Benjamin, they are both "baby."
To Aunt Cynthia, Alida wears pink because of the "i" in each word. (I know Elaine has an 'i' as well, but it doesn't SOUND like an 'i'. You see? So then she has to mentally flip what she intuitively thinks is right each time she sees them together. And that makes me tired.)
To their dad, they are both "baby girl."



To me, well we've spent many a weekend glued together now. I have them on sight.

So if you're ever wondering now days, don't count on the color because Alida chose the pink shirt this morning and I'm not going to battle it.

Just ask them if they want apple juice or chocolate milk.

Because Apple Juice=Elaine

and Chokit Milk=Alida

At least that is how it will go for awhile anyway.

Tub Time

Identical?

Debatable.

And Now Presenting

The organization of our video files.

We're a bit late on this one from last fall.

I think Not

Identical?

Certainly not in their eating habits.

Gotta Be Identical?

He thinks so. I think not.

The Tradition Continues

Last Year: clutching them tight worked.

Last Year: Setting them on top of each other did not work.

This Year:

Well hello pretty girl. Let's go take a photo of you in your pretty dress.

Alida. When I tell her she's a pretty girl, you know that extends to you don't you? I mean really, you look exactly alike.


Come on. Let's get together.

Really. You are pretty too girl.

Well. Is that the best we can get? Benjamin since you refused to wear your sweater, I'm pleased that you actually came up with a smile.

Come on now. Put the robots down guys. Elaine? Elaine. The Ironman, please.

Oh. That was the best we could do. I see.

In a Perfect World

Mornings. This is my favorite time of day. If I get up early enough I get some coffee and some quiet, and I watch the sky turn all pinky blue. I also put the plastic away from the dishwasher last night that is hopefully dry. I get drinks ready for the maniacs. I find the crackers. I fold some laundry or start a load. I get a shower in the upstairs bathroom at 5:15 where I pray the entire time that it doesn't wake the children. I load Alida's antibiotic. I pack the car with anything from my purse alone to my purse plus ice cream money, diapers, changes of clothes and wipes. The latter this morning. I hide whatever toy was causing chaos the last evening if I remember to. If it looks rainy, I cover the sandbox and wheel the iron toys to the porch. It was rainy looking this morning. I lay out some clothes for work, but I don't put them on yet--who wants antibiotic from a fight with Alida all over her dress? I drink coffee, a lot. I may even log on and look at my e-mail.

All of that, and then this is how it is supposed to unfold. At 6:45 I load toothbrushes for the boys and greet them in their room sleepy-eyed and still waking. Actually, I generally hope that Nicholas is that way and Ben is still just asleep. Then I can get Nicholas ready and have him all to myself. Get him dressed. Help him brush his teeth. By then Ben is awake and asks for his toothbrush, and I do the Nicholas routine with Benjamin. Then they want to wake the babies. So by 7:00 we troop down the hall and wake the babies up who are laughing at the greeting of boys climbing in their cribs. We do the boy routine with the girls as the boys play with all of the toys in the girls' room. The girls will then play with their toys as I take the boys downstairs, get them some juice and put on their shoes in front of cartoons. I get the ladies and bring them down. Cartoons distracting, I get dressed hoping I have matching shoes and everything tucked in correctly. We load the car, and we're off by 7:20 or so.

This morning was not perfect.

This morning the ladies woke up at 5:50. They were chattering and singing in their cribs, so I left them there while I did an abbreviated morning run through the house to get things in order because not only do I have things to do but the cleaning guy is coming today so the house must be somewhat picked up. By 6:30, there was no denying them any longer. I ran up, gave them bottles (yes bottles because they are quiet when they are sucking on bottles), and I changed their diapers, one of which was an inch from creating a total nightmare. I don't have their clothes because they are in the boys room. I leave Elaine in her nightshirt and I leave Alida naked so I don't confuse them. They play with their toys. I load toothbrushes and head to the boys room. Nicholas is sitting on the floor smiling. But something is not right. There is something in the air. There is something all over the bed. Argh. Don't move buddy, you're a mess. I strip the bed. Ben has woken up abruptly and is now whining and crying. Nicholas is still sitting on the floor. I grab him and immediately rethink my hold because he is a disaster. To the background noise of Ben, I take Nicholas and clean him up dumping his clothes with his sheets and slamming the door shut so the girls don't come in to the mess. They start screaming outside. Ben is still in bed, now declaring that his bed is wet. Oh cripes. His diaper didn't hold. But he's not as messy as brother. Nicholas is cleaned, changed, detoxed, and now whimpering. We take a minute to relax him, and I turn to Ben, frozen in his bed except for the complaining. Complaining in here; complaining out there. I get Ben. We go through a similar routine. Lysol is brought out. Another bed is stripped. The Spot Shot is put to use on the floor. Sheets and clothes are dumped in a laundry basket. Boys are clean and dressed. Their beds stripped and pajamas ready for the laundry. The girls are still screaming. Now Nicholas is screaming that he wants to do it himself. But I have no clue what he wants to do. The boys are abandoned in their misery because I have miserable girls I have to deal with now. The girls scream through a dressing. And then they stand at the top of the stairs and scream while I take the boys down. Nicholas is now in full melt-down over doing something by himself. Ben has stolen a girls blanket and is using it as a comfort item. I get the girls. Alida has had a diaper blow out. Really the stomach viruses are crazy, mixed with antibiotic it boggles the mind. I change her and her clothes again. The girls are brought down. Everyone is screaming. The boys kick through putting their shoes on. I go back and gather the laundry, the bottles and cups, the dirty diapers. I throw toys in the boxes because they have been strung about in a fit by someone. All this because the cleaning guy is coming today.

I stop and breathe. They are all still screaming, but they're doing it down there, and I am up here. No. Wait. Nicholas is at the top of the stairs screaming. Crap. I left the gate open. The girls are starting to mount the stairs. Nicholas throws an all out tantrum when I grab him and take him back down because he still wants to do it himself. I go back and grab all of this crap. I wade through the screaming children and throw dishes in the sink, dirty diapers in the trash, laundry in the washing machine. I escape to my room with four children beating the door while I throw on some clothes. I turn and grab the nearest one and get her in the car. I get the next one and get her in the car. I get Ben and put him in the car. I find Nicholas who has fled. I grab him and drag him to the car, kicking and screaming. Everyone gets about 10 crackers in the car to distract them. And we're off by 7:30 looking every bit a mess.

Excuse me now, I must go to sleep at my desk.

Elaine

If there is pink available, you wear it in order to keep you distinct from your sister at a glance.

But, I have to tell you there are other ways I know you are Elaine. One of those is that sweet smile. It peeks out and oozes little girl to me, which is why you were designated pink baby. When you are a teenager, I guess you will wear all black, but for now, you are my pink baby.

And then there is the way that you are content. You are content to explore on your own. You are content to contend with your sister. You are content to give me a hug. It is rare to see you fuss.

But even though you aren't fussing, I've watched you. I've watched you snatch things you want and collect things all to your own like your brother Nicholas. I've watched you assert yourself already. And I find it charming that you can be so sneaky. One day, I don't guess I'll find that so charming, but right now it makes me smile and cheer you on a little.

You love peek-a-boo, which is always a good way to make sure who you are when I have both you girls in the bathtub. You'll bury your head way down to the water, and when I ask where Elaine went, you come up with that smile. That smile that will melt hearts one day.

Oh what adventures we will have Elaine.

Uh, Oh

No, not that kind of uh, oh. Thank you Dr. Long.In some horrible, freak accident (like Elaine probably spit on herself and we grabbed what was there) we have babies dressed alike. Seriously, I think that may have been the first time that happened. And seriously, we had a very serious conversation about who was who and how we may be seriously messing something up if we got it wrong. But then I remembered that Alida's tongue has this weird white mark on it. HA! Try to get her to stick it out when you want her to. And, then we remembered that Elaine is more likely to put weight on her legs. HA! Both are standing there grinning with their tongues nicely tucked away. Okay, Alida's head is rounder when compared side-by-side. HA! Dad and I disagree on whose head is rounder.
Nope, that didn't help.
All we really had to do is take our best guess and wait for night because there is where the Elaines are separated from the Alidas.
Elaine--the new master of rolling over during the night--will think nothing of rolling over and falling back asleep. Alida, however, is a little more likely to practice rolling over in the middle of the night, wake up the entire house, go back to bed, for five minutes, do it again, and again, and again (seriously last night: 10, 2, 3, 3:30, 4:15, 6:30). It's liable to make a mom take the monitor and flip it sound-side-down in the bed while she wills a little girl to go back to sleep. Liable even more-so to make that mommy roll over on the sound-side-down monitor in order to squelch the sound a little more because that baby isn't hearing her mother's silent pleas because that baby is being too loud. Liable perhaps to make the mommy put a pillow over that sound-side down monitor that she is laying on top of and squeeze until the power button switches off accidentally and the bed is flooded in silence. I'm just saying, it's liable to happen like that some time.
Good thing Elaine is such a good sleeper.

Not Thinking We'll Be Needing the Genetic Testing

If we ever screw up and put Elaine in a solid pajama and Alida in a print pajama, the whole balance of the universe will be knocked off allignment because it is NOT getting easier to tell them apart as they grow. Byt the time they can start exerting their will regarding their own clothing, I am hoping they have some hair so that I can start cutting it different lengths or just shave a letter into each head.