The 10 Step Program

I love routines. I love that within each routine is a series of boxes I can check off as accomplishments. To my delight, the girls adopt them very easily, but Daddy needs to get caught up to speed. (Hint: He is coming home soon!)

From dinner to bedtime, we follow the same basic routine. Here is the Doubleshot girls' 10 Step Program for recovery from the day (a.k.a. bedtime).

Step 1: Feed Lucy
This is their first "chore". I didn't even instigate this one. They watched me do it, and then reminded me one night when I forgot by standing at the pantry door (where the dog food is kept) saying "Ma. Ma. Ma. Ma." and pointing eagerly. Since then, they have taken over the responsibility.

Let's Feed Lucy

The Return Trip

Step 2: Video Chat
If we can set up a chat, and have the time, we do. I merely have to say the words "Let's call ___," and screams of delight ensue.

A re-enactment of the aftermath of me saying
"Let's call Grandma!"

Step 3: Nekkid Time
After dinner, the girls get stripped down and they take their clothes to the hamper. They LOVE whaling them in. I have learned in recent days that Anni doesn't like to relinquish her dirty duds in the presence of Elli, because she is concerned that sister will try to steal the privilege of launching them in.

The Hamper March

Step 4: Potty Time
Next we head straight to the bathroom, twisting our fists to sign "toilet." Obviously, we also eat cookies in there. (Elli signed "toilet" for the first time today after lunch and I just wasn't able to get her pants off fast enough to use the toilet. I'm counting it as a win for her, despite my failure.)

Step 5: PJs
The girls then help pick out their evening attire.

The PJ Drawer

Step 6: Chase
After we're dressed, we play chase. Everyone screams and runs and acts crazed, even Lucy. It is the best game ever.

Catch Sister!

Oh, it's not over.


Even the babies join in!

Step 7: Put Away
If there is still time before bed, the girls will help put their toys away. If I use the phrase "put away", they start looking for something to put away. I usually have to direct them to some particular area or classification of items, or else they get sucked into the typhoon of toys.

Tucking away treasures.

Step 8: Story Time
If there is even more time yet, I ask the girls to pick a story and one or both will bring me a book. This doesn't always happen, which is okay, because I read whatever the latest book obsession is about 22 times each morning.

I'm kind of ready to
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
this book.

Step 9: Goodnight Prayers
On my way back to the nursery, we talk about all of the people who love them and God's love, stopping of course to say goodnight to the monkey ("key! key!") who resides in the guest room. Then we say prayers...

The now beloved monkey, whom we once feared.

Step 10: Sister Soiree
Then it's party time. If the girls aren't completely wiped, they will take off their socks and, literally, run around giggling in their cribs until all of their binkies (3 each) and blankets have been bounced out. Then they ban together to try to reach for them, ultimately failing, and end up chatting until I come in to make everything right. (I wish I could produce a video of that for you.)

Little Miss(es) Dress Up

The Doubleshot twins LOVE to dress up.

Any trip to their closet is not complete without donning something extra.

Grab the tutus, leave the bug wings.

Any article of clothing left within their reach will be worn, even if it's not their own.

Channeling Michael Jackson and Tom Sawyer

The girls believed they were invisible when they
pulled the Fedoras over their faces.
They kept very quiet and moved with stealth to complete covert ops.

Anything that has drape, will be slung around their necks like scarves... ribbons, long PJs, dish towels.

A real scarf from Mommy's closet makes us
a little giddy and a little distinguished.

Standard attire includes their pink head bands and legwarmers, previously featured here on the blog. (I have to sneak them away to be washed.) It's exciting to see the girls place a shirt on their head, and a sock on top of their feet because they want to do it themselves. I don't know where this love for fashion came from, because I hated dressing up as a child. (Daddy must have some childhood secrets.) I look forward to seeing what clothes choices they make when they can get dressed on their own.

Thanks to Uncle Zack and Aunt Steph for loaning us their super-stealthy hats!

Snow!

Yesterday, just days after having 55 degrees, we got bombed with close to 9 inches of snow. Sadly, the temperatures dropped down into the single digits with windchill temperatures between -10 and -20 making outdoor adventures impossible. I wanted the girls to be able to experience the snow, so I brought some inside. Here are some facts about snow that you may not know!

Snow is an evil temptress. (Elli)

Snow makes you cry. (Elli)


Snow gets lost. (Anni)


Snow doesn't respond to magic. (Anni)

A Momentous Occasion

The other day it was 55 degrees. FIFTY FIVE! In January! We had to take advantage of the Vitamin D opportunity. We decided to go for a walk. This is the very first time the girls were able to actually walk outside on their own.

Frigging momentum.

I never paid much attention to the negative slope of the driveway before, or that of the cul-de-sac, which took us 15 minutes to circumnavigate. Anni was full-steam ahead the whole time. Elli was annoyed that she had to hold my hand through the ordeal. We also "chased" the mail lady, much to her delight.

And, here's another little gem of Anni walking with a gift from Santa.

Walk-n-roll.

(This toy is almost identical to the lawn mower I used in Hawaii. Only it was much quieter.)

Little Chefs

The girls' big gift from Santa was a play kitchen. They have long had a drawer in the kitchen full of cookie cutters and paper towel tubes and other assorted items, but they were really starting to get up in my business, so Santa intervened.

Busy little chef.

It took them until Christmas afternoon to discover it, with all of the other excitement.

The Once Over

They didn't actually understand what it was, so I've had to model kitchen play. I made cookies with Anni on Christmas.

"Baking Cookies"

Gotta check them before opening the oven!

The next morning we made scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Elli scrambles, whilst Anni decides to ring in the new year early, instead.

Grandma B introduced the girls to playing pretend. She ate some pretend food, and the girls wanted whatever it was she was enjoying so heartily. They were upset to discover that the invisible thing she put into their mouths had absolutely no taste whatsoever. *Pretending is lame.*

The girls spend a lot of time in the kitchen, especially Anni. Elli looks at it more as a cache for really cool items to collect and carry around the house. There is always a sunny-side-up egg in my bathroom, and a honey pot under my feet.

Many thanks to Aunt Liz, Uncle Dave, Uncle Ben and Desi for stocking our kitchen! And a huge thanks to Grandpa B for helping me (errr, Santa) assemble it!

Jane Fonda Called

She wants her headband back.

And her floor exercises.

And her synthesizer.

And her stretch bar.

And don't forget those leg warmers.