Workin For His Keep

Spencer and Pap Pap held down the fort this morning while the twins were at preschool.  Spencie patrolled the driveway and also auditioned for a job with UPS when our huge, monthly subscribe and save delivery arrived.  The UPS man was going to carry the heavy box down our long driveway, but Spencie used his tractor to pull it instead!  Working hard for all those diapers and wipes!  Though he may not get the job after watching how the second video ends...

 

First Dental Visits

Last Friday we took all 3 boys for their first dental cleaning!  I found a pediatric dental office through a recommendation from our twins club and was more than thrilled with how everything went.  I didn't think the boys would be nervous or scared about visiting the dentist and getting their teeth cleaned since they got over their fear of the doctor's office sometime around 2 or 2 and a half.  In fact, when I tell them that they'll have to go to the doctor if they eat beads or other colorful, small objects that they have a hard time resisting putting in their mouths (even though they know better), they always reply that they'd be happy to head to the doctor...but that's another story.  So the only assumption I felt safe making was to tell them there would probably be a new toothbrush in store for them if they did well at the dentist.  Boy was that an understatement.  From the moment we walked in the place there was continuous distraction and delight.  They started out in a neat little playroom, complete with touch screen games for slightly older kids (ours loved pretending they knew how to play anyway).  Spencer was called back first and went in with Daddy, who unfortunately didn't think to take a ton of pictures (or even one) like I did when it was time for Owen and Oliver and I went in with them.  So you'll notice the missing pictures for Spencer, but we'll be going back again in 6 months!  Both the hygienist and dentist were amazing with kids and let the boys examine the toothbrush, paste, and other tools before doing the cleaning and exam.  The office was cute with safari paintings on the walls and even had a TV playing a kid movie on the ceiling that made them really happy once the chair was leaned all the way back.  After the cleaning, they received a tattoo and bag with a cool, new animal shaped toothbrush, floss, and a sand timer to help remind them how long they should be brushing at home.  Owen and Oliver were old enough for their first x-rays and did an awesome job of listening and sitting still for the pictures.  It was interesting to see how all their adult teeth are sitting right above the baby teeth.  All the boys had healthy teeth and no cavities!  On the way out, they received a bracelet and a "1st Dental Cleaning" certificate with their picture on it.  And as if that wasn't enough excitement, they were given tokens to cash in at these little prize machines in the reception area.  They picked out little knick-knacks like a bouncy ball, stretchy spiders, and a tiny, blue toy salamander that Oliver has been obsessed with (even sleeping with it) since then.  The only tears shed that morning were briefly as we tried to assemble them to head home and they didn't want to leave! 

 



Too Cool For School

Friday morning was a preschool make-up day.  The boys were really slow to get out of bed and not very happy about the earlier than usual wake up call.  But the night before I gave them their new spring/summer shades and the prospect of wearing them on the car ride to preschool was motivating enough.  It was one of the most overcast and drizzly days we've had this year, but there was no talking them out of it!  They looked like a couple of ski bums ready to skip school and hit the slopes...

 

Magna-Tiles and Legos

On Thursday the boys and I stayed in, enjoyed a little extra sleep and some slow cooked steel cut oatmeal with fruit for breakfast.  Between preschool, outings during the week, and weekend travel, we've had a lot of scheduled days recently and it was nice to have a slow day of free play at home.  The boys got really into building with their Magna-Tiles in the morning (one of my favorites of all their toys), making pyramids, runways for planes, a house for their Daniel Tiger figurines, and a giant hexagon shaped birthday cake (still obsessed over birthday cakes).  After a late morning snack, we moved to the basement to play Legos, but Oliver wanted to stay in the playroom and have some alone time working with the Magna-Tiles.  I love that the boys are all at an age now where they can be safely left alone in various play areas of the house for short periods of time.  I think they each enjoy a little break every now and then from the routine high energy play when the entire trio is present - I know I do!  We littered the basement floor with Legos, making tunnels, bridges, and garages for their trains and trucks all the way until lunch.  After lunch and nap, we continued with the Magna-tiles on the light panel, adding all sorts of colorful and transparent knick knacks to the creations.  Boy, do I love having boys!  I was thinking that this morning as I was out driving on my own, passed an excavator and got really excited to see and watch it in action for a few brief moments as I passed by...knowing full well that the boys weren't in the car to ooh, ahh, and squeal together.  They really have opened my eyes and given me a true appreciation for how cool construction trucks are - who knew I'd one day know the names and details of these trucks, and what the difference is between an excavator and backhoe loader?  I wonder what other cool stuff I'll discover through their eyes as time goes on??

Wesley photobomb

Longwood Gardens Trip

During our visit to the Longwood Gardens the boys got had fun exploring the flowers, fountains, and tree houses, while I had fun with my camera!  It was one of those places where you just can't stop taking pictures because all the backdrops are so beautiful.  Since it was still pretty cold and wintry outside, we spent most of our time at the indoor children's garden - I can only imagine how nice the outdoor gardens are in the spring/summer.  The children's garden was so amazing that we could have spent all day there, but had to stop for food after a couple of hours.  It was really warm inside this giant greenhouse, which was perfect for the many water and fountain play activities that quickly had the boys soaking wet!  Their favorite was "painting with water" using the large paint brushes set out to decorate the walls and surfaces throughout the garden.  There were colorful toy water bugs floating in fountains and nets to catch them, secret stairways and tunnels, and a really cool bubbling liquid nitrogen or dry ice fountain in a hidden dark corner.  It took a few minutes to get a good handle on the layout of this place for ourselves, while we scrambled at first to keep track of the boys as they took off running in and out, up and down, and in between these stairways and nooks!  Before heading home we put dry clothes on and explored a couple of the outdoor tree houses.  I think Daddy and the boys were getting ideas and wishing they could have one like that at home in our yard!