Theme Song Sing-A-Long

Here, in no particular order, are the theme songs from some of my three year old's favorite shows. When we hear these songs, we both get up, dance around the living room, and sing as loud as we can. It's a lot of fun and it's something that has become a Mommy/Daughter activity. I love it and I know she does, too. It's also so super cute when she starts singing the songs when the shows aren't even on.

1. Doc McStuffins Theme song - Disney Junior

Time for your check-up, time for your check-up.
Gonna check your ears, check your eyes, find out how much you've grown.
Listen to your heartbeat, fix you up, ready to go.
It's OK if you giggle, this will only tickle a little.
Time for your check up, time for your check-up.

2. Curious George Theme Song - PBS

You never do know what's around the bend
A big adventure or a brand new friend
When you're curious, like Curious George
(Swing!)

Well everything (everything!) is so glorious (glorious!) And everything (everything!) is so wonderous (wonderous!) There's more to explore
When you open your door
And meet friends like this
You just can't miss
(Whooooa!)

Get curious (curious!) and that's marvelous (marvelous!) And that's your reward
You'll never be bored
If you ask yourself, what is this?
Like curious, like curious, like Curious George

3. Max & Ruby Theme Song - Nick Jr.

Max & Ruby
Ruby & Max

Max & Ruby

Ruby & Max

Max & Ruby

Ruby & her little brother Max

Max & Ruby

4. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Theme Song - Disney Junior

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
Mickey: It's me!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
It's the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Come inside, it's fun inside
It's the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse roll call!
Donald! Donald: Present.
Daisy! Daisy: Here.
Goofy! Goofy: Hyuck, here.
Minnie! Minnie: Hi, here!
Pluto! Pluto: Ruff ruff ruff
Mickey! Mickey: Right here.
It's the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Come inside, it's fun inside
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

5. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Closing Song - Disney Junior

Hot dog! (Hot dog) Hot dog!
Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog Now we got ears, it's time for cheers
Hot dog, hot dog, the problem's solved Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog
Grab my boots and a sandwich Let's start a parade Get the coconut drum kit For Daisy to play
Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog We're taking off, we're dancing now Hot dog, leapfrog, and holy cow Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog
Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog It's a brand new day Whatcha waiting for? Get up, stretch out, stomp on the floor
Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog We're splitting the scene We're full of beans
So long for now from Mickey Mouse (That's me!) And the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

6. Super Why! Theme Song - PBS

Who’s got the power?
The power to read.
Who answers the call for friends in need?

Super WHY!
Super WHY!
He’s the guy, he’s Super WHY!

Who’s got the power?
The power to read.
Who looks into books for the answers we need?

Super WHY!
Super WHY!
and the Super Readers, we’re gonna fly,

Come along
With the Super Readers.
Adventure waits when you’re with Super WHY!

Super WHY and the Super Readers yeah
Super WHY and the Super Readers.

Adventure waits when you’re with Super WHY!
Yeah Super WHY!

7. Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Theme Song - PBS

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine, could you be mine, would you be my neighbor.
Its Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood a land of make believe, won’t you ride along with me (ride along..)
Its Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood so much to do so much to see, won’t you ride along with me (ride along..)
I got lots of friends for you and me, in this land of make believe, a friendly face on every street just waiting to greet you.
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor, Daniel tiger’s Neighborhood!

8. Sophia the First Theme Song - Disney Junior

I was a girl in the village doing alright
Then I became a princess overnight
Now I gotta figure out how to do it right
So much to learn and see

Up in the castle with my new family
In a school that's just for royalty
A whole enchanted world is waiting for me
I'm so excited to be (Sofia the first)

I'm finding out what being royal's all about (Sofia the first)
Making my way it's an adventure everyday (Sofia)
It's gonna be my time (Sofia)
To show them all that I'm Sofia the first!

A Visit With the Easter Bunny

It was a typical Sunday. 7 am wake up call from my three year old leaning in close to my face and breathing heavily on me, laughing. My five month old twins making noises in their cribs while kicking their tiny legs a mile a minute. My husband covering his head with the blankets in hopes to not having to get out of bed any time soon. Yes, a typical Sunday morning except this particular Sunday was going to be a little different, we were going to be leaving the house.

Leaving the house is not a big deal. Not a big deal if you don't have kids. Not a big deal if you don't have a toddler and five month old twins to get ready. On this day, this sunny, mild March day, my husband and I decided we would all go to the mall to get a picture with the Easter Bunny. We do it every year since our daughter was born. The Easter Bunny and Santa pictures at the mall. This would be the first picture with the Easter Bunny for our twins. How exciting, but was it worth it? (of course it was!)

We planned on leaving the house around three o'clock. This meant I had to start getting my toddler dressed and hair brushed at twelve o'clock. Yes, getting a three year old ready to leave the house really does take that long, at least for my three year old. It's a struggle. A struggle to go potty. A struggle to find the perfect pair of socks, no... tights, no... socks, yes... socks. A struggle to pick out what bow to put in her hair. A struggle to eat something before we leave. Can you see where I'm at? It's a three year old's world and I am just the mother.

I also had to get our twins dressed. This meant having the very delicate decision to either dress them before or after they ate. I opted before for our son and after for our daughter. Of course it didn't much matter. Our son spit up before he ate, while he ate, and after he ate. He even spit up in the car on our way to the mall.

We then had to get everyone in the minivan. My husband put our toddler and one of the twins in first. Then I brought out the diaper bag and the other twin. I sat in the driver's seat. "Did you remember the receipt for the Easter Bunny?" (we paid online). Shit. I have to go back inside. "My friend, Mommy! And my baby." OK, so I go back into the house and get the Bunny receipt and my daughter's friend, which happens to be one of those toy poppers (the toy with the handle that pops balls around inside a plastic bubble when you walk with it). I also pick out a random baby from her bed in hopes that she will just except the fact I didn't know which baby she was talking about. I get back to the car and success! She decided not to have a breakdown over the "wrong" baby I picked out.

With all that we made it to the mall. We were walking through the parking lot, I look down and notice our daughter had her shoes on the wrong feet. How is she not complaining? She complains about her shoes, sneakers, boots, all the time because she would rather be barefoot, yet she thinks having her shoes on the wrong feet is comfortable? Ugh. We get inside and I help her switch them around. Luckily that was a smooth process.

Walking through the mall with a running, skipping, just plain excited toddler and a double stroller with twins in tow is an interesting experience. We get comments like, "Oh, they must be twins." "Wow, they have their hands full." "You must be the big sister?" "What are they?" "Are they identical?" "Are they twins?" We also get smiling faces, chuckles, sometimes looks of sympathy. It's definitely different from just going out with one baby/kid. Having twins almost gives you a bright, blinking sign that says, "Hey everybody! Come check me and my family out. Look at my three under four mommy life. Look, I have twins and a toddler. Look, look, look!"

Anyway, we finally get to where the Easter Bunny is. We always do the "Fast Pass" (order online beforehand) so we don't have to wait on line. This saves us a lot of time and also helps deter a possible toddler and baby melt down. I had to prep my daughter beforehand, telling her that she would not be able to sit on the Easter Bunny's lap because her baby brother and sister would have to be held by him. She seemed OK with it. Once she saw the bunny, she didn't really seem to care where she was as long as it was near him anyway. She was so star struck. It was adorable, at least to me and my husband.

The photo went off without a hitch. No crying babies, everyone was awake, toddler was smiling and looking at the camera. It was great. But the best part of the day: my husband and I didn't have to be in the picture like we did when we saw Santa this past Christmas due to toddler not wanting me to let her go. I don't want to be in these pictures so, yes, that was the best part of the day!

Dear Wedding Ring

July 20, 2014, 22 weeks pregnant with twins

Dear Wedding Ring,
         
     Oh how I've missed you being on my finger for the past eight month and six days, but who's counting? I didn't mean to banish you to my neck as I wore you on a chain. It wasn't my choice. Having both Killian and Piper in my womb made it almost impossible to even get you off my finger, but I got you off. It took some doing. You were very stubborn. I pleaded with you to get off because I was trying to save you. Save you from being cut off. No one wanted that to happen, especially me.
         
     Now you are on my finger again! It's exciting to see you there. I know you don't make me a wife, but I do secretly love when people see you on my finger and know that I am one. Not to mention the fact that you are pretty and look good on my finger. I will never take you off again, in part because you are kinda stuck on there since my finger wasn't truly ready to have you back. That's OK though, that's where you belong.

Blatz Beer Ad

I didn't realize all I needed was a case of Blatz Beer in the house. Geez, it means so much to me as a young mother who is so tired of listening to my baby cry. I need that case of beer to act as a stimulating tonic and don't get me started on how healthy it is for me and my baby. Isn't it so obvious by the dazed look on my baby's face that he is enjoying it, too? I mean, really. Drinking beer at 3 month of age is nothing. He certainly won't grow up to be an alcoholic. This is Blatz Beer for goodness sake!

Britax B-Agile Double Stroller

Oh boy! It's here. Our new Britax B-Agile Double Stroller. I absolutely love this stroller even though I just got it and haven't used it outside of the house yet. With all of the great reviews it has gotten, how could I not have bought this side by side stroller?

Yes, I opted for the side by side for our twins. A tandem stroller just seems so cruel. Someone is always going to be stuck in the crappy front seat that doesn't lean back enough to take a decent nap or get stuck in the crappy back seat where all you can see in front of you is another seat. The side by side has no issues like that.

The B-Agile also has a lot of really nice features. My favorites include:

1. The canopies are H-U-G-E huge! Definitely no concern about the sun getting in anyone's eyes.
2. The seats recline practically the whole way which makes this a good stroller for babies and napping.
3. The basket can actually fit my, over stuffed because I have twins, diaper bag. And I'll have access to it through the back, sides, and front of the stroller. Yes, I did say front. The leg area of both seats has a zipper opening which leads to the basket. How cool is that?
4. The adjustable handle is awesome! I can even lower it enough where my three year old can push the stroller without having her arms straining to reach the bar. That is very important because like many three year olds, mine wants to do it herself.
5. What a ride. Not only are the seats nicely padded, but the suspension seems really good which makes for a smooth ride.

Now I need to find a stroller standing board that will fit this stroller. Obviously when I'm out with my husband or someone else, my toddler can use her umbrella stroller if she needs it, but what about when I'm alone? My concern is that I will be walking my three year old to pre-school come September when weather permits. I will have this B-Agile stroller for the twins, but what if my toddler gets tired from walking and wants or needs to sit? The school is a mile away so it is possible for her little legs to get really overworked. Britax does make a stroller standing board for older kids, but they say it's not compatible with the double stroller. Then I read a blog post review for the Joovy Bumprider Universal Stroller Board. The reviewer had attached it to her Britax B-Agile double stroller and said it fit perfectly. So that's something to think about. 

Bottom line is this: If you are in the market for a double stroller, you cannot go wrong with the Britax B-Agile Double Stroller. You will fall in love with it the moment you take it out of the box, I promise!

  

FYI: I am not getting paid to make any reviews. These are just the things I have used or do use and want to let more parents know about.

My Top 4 (Fictional) Parenting Role Models

There are a few television shows we watch at my house that have the best parenting role models. I know they are fictional and nobody can truly be all calm and collective by a rambunctious and/or destructive toddler, but I want to be that way most of the time. Here are a few parents or caregivers from shows that we as parents need to take note of so we don't end up stressing over all the things toddlers and older children do:

Mommy and Daddy Pig (Peppa Pig). They do get frustrated at Peppa and her younger brother, George, but they always talk in a calm voice and explain why something was wrong or bad. They don't yell or talk at Peppa as most parents do, myself included. It's really hard to keep a calming tone in your voice when all you want to do is scream as loud as you can at the fact your toddler has deliberately tossed her entire cereal on the floor all the while looking at you with a devilish look in her eyes as if to say, "Hey, Mom. Look what I'm doing. Whatcha gonna do 'bout it? Yell? I still won't clean it up, sucka."

The Man With the Yellow Hat (Curious George). This guy is so understanding it sometimes makes me angry. Then I realize George doesn't know any better because he is a monkey and I assume that's the reason for the yellow hat man's nonchalant approach to "parenting." Then I think that a toddler really doesn't know any better either and I should have the same attitude as well. Why get so aggravated by the fact my three year old turns getting her pajamas on into a game of run around naked and show off my butt? Is it really that important to be all serious with her about it being bedtime and not playtime. Why can't I take two minutes to laugh and giggle with her to show that I find her spirit and playfulness to be exactly how it should be at her age? Why do I have to make it difficult for her to enjoy life, which is basically what I'm doing when I yell at her for playing? I know there's a time to play and a time to be serious and get things done, but at three years old? How is taking two minutes to say, "yes, that's so funny and you are so funny, now let's get those p.j.'s on" gonna hurt? It actually takes longer to get mad than it does to go along with it. By yelling and getting mad in turn gets her mad and then a temper tantrum is on the rise. Just take a tip from The Man With the Yellow Hat and go with the flow every now and then.

Ruby (Max and Ruby). First of all, where are Max and Ruby's parents? They leave a seven year old to take care of a, what? Two to three year old? That's a different subject all together though. OK, big sis Ruby. She never gets truly aggravated by the annoyance that is her little brother. She explains her reasonings for things and calmly leads Max to do "the right thing." Of course, sometimes Max was right all along or he has happy accidents to seem like he was actually helping Ruby out. Nevertheless, Max is annoying and Ruby knows it but she also knows that he is a toddler and toddlers do play and get into trouble and they, for the most part, don't realize anything is wrong by what they do. Ruby, herself, is also annoying and bossy, but who's disciplining her? Not her parents.

All the adults (Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood). Not only do these adults have really catchy jingles to explain the reasonings about stuff, they always kneel down or try to get at eye level with the kids. This is a tactic I have noticed works a lot with my toddler - talking to her eye to eye. It must be intimidating to have a much larger person talk down at you in a stern voice. By taking a knee or sitting, you are making the situation a little less stressful for your little one. They may listen better to what you have to say rather than have a total melt down and scream at every little sound that comes out of your mouth. When I get down to talk calmly eye to eye with my three year old, she usually will comply with what I'm trying to get across and then wants to hug. It doesn't always go smoothly but when it does, it feels so nice.

So, the next time you feel like you want to strangle your toddler for whining and screaming for the fifteen-thousandth time to get what she wants, remember these parents and ask yourself, "What would Mommy Pig do?" Then take a breath, relax your mind, and try to calm the devil in your toddler.

Moist Chocolate Muffins

Get the recipe HERE

I was so in the mood for some chocolate chocolate chip muffins. I don't know why I decided on muffins and not cupcakes. Maybe I wanted a more dense flavor than what a cupcake could give me. Anyway, I came across this recipe at allrecipes.com. I had all the ingredients except for plain yogurt. I did, however have my choice of strawberry, peach, or blueberry. I opted to make these with strawberry yogurt.

Was I in my right mind by thinking these chocolate muffins would taste just as good by using a flavored yogurt? Strawberry, no less? It was worth a try and I was a little surprised by the outcome. They didn't taste half bad. I could definitely taste the strawberry, heck, I could smell the strawberry. My husband though, couldn't place the flavor until I said something to him and even then, he said it wasn't that noticeable.

These muffins are really good, but I do wish I had the plain yogurt. I guess because I know it's in there, the strawberry flavor sorta overpowers the chocolate. Well now I know for next time.

Pros:

1. These bake up nice a big.
2. Very filling and will please any chocolate craving.
3. Chocolate chips in every bite, how can you go wrong?
4. They keep getting better and better each day.

Cons:

1. Do not use anything other than plain yogurt. Unfortunately plain yogurt is not something most people keep on hand like all the other ingredients, so a trip to the market is needed.
2. They may be too big to eat all in one sitting, but you're going to want to try.

8 Fun "Games" for Toddlers and Adults

Nope. It includes hours of internet exploring, blogging, facebook, and twitter updates all while the kiddies watch their favorite television shows and eat snacks. Duh.

Seriously though, I write my blog posts at night while everyone is tucked all nice and cozy in their beds. I take about 20-25 minutes every morning to get on the computer and post the blogs and update anything I need to. I don't have to do this, I want to. It gives me a bit of a break at 9:00 in the morning when I've been up for a few hours with already two screaming babies and one whining toddler. It's not my job, but I tell my toddler "Mommy needs to work on the computer while you watch one show. When your show is over, it's time to play."

Play. You would think playing all day would be fun or something that you might enjoy. I have a three year old. Playtime is one part boring and two parts exhausting. So when I actually do need to get things done in the house, playtime consists of some really fun games:

1. Throw the socks, shirt, pants, etc. in the washing machine. Kinda like basketball, but with dirty laundry. My toddler's favorite part is smelling the laundry detergent and pressing the start button.
2. Throw the socks, shirt, pants, etc. in the dryer.
3. Find the socks and undies. Just hope you finish folding the laundry before all the socks and undies are found.
4. Grab a dishwasher soap pod thingy and put it in the detergent compartment. Then press the start button. Really fun for three year olds.
5. Get all the clean spoons and forks out of the dishwasher and put them away. Just be mindful of the knives.
6. Sweep up the dirt and put it in a neat pile. This one takes some time to perfect. In the beginning, my toddler was sweeping the dirty floor randomly and just moving the dirt around but not actually cleaning up. Now she's a pro and loves to make a neat pile of dirt. Her reward is getting to vacuum up the dirt pile with the hose extension.
7. Use the magic Swiffer wand and make the dust disappear. 
8. Erase the fingerprints. I don't know about you, but I have a full glass front storm door and my toddler loves putting her grubby little fingers all over it. She also enjoys putting her mouth on it and licking it. Toddlers are silly like that. Some Windex and paper towels give you at least 10-15 minutes of playtime.

So there you go. Stay at home moms and dads really need to be creative when it comes to getting household chores done. Including your toddler in these activities and calling them games is just pure genius. These tasks may take twice as long to get accomplished, but your toddler will keep out of trouble while you two are doing them. They are too young at this point to realize it is actually work. Sure, sometimes my toddler gets bored by these games and I don't blame her. That's when I say, OK. Time to play kitchen or hide and seek or run around the table fifty times (she really enjoys that one) or scream "peek-a-boo" really loud and scary at your baby brother and sister and make them cry ('cause twins crying at the same time is totally funny and awesome) or whatever this little imaginative three year old can come up with. Then when all that is done, I will sit on my ass and enjoy my bon-bons (but of course, that never happens).

Photography Skills Help When You Are A Parent

My family thinks I'm weird when it comes to taking photographs of my kids. Hey, I'm an artist and photographer (Janet E Gorman Photography). Of course I'm weird and a bit of a perfectionist. This is what I do with my photography skills as a mother...

1. I take monthly shots to show the growth of my kids. I tried going to Sears Photo Studio when my toddler was three months old. HORRIBLE! Just horrible. Luckily I'm a photographer, 'cause I will never have to endure the disasters they call portraits, again.

2. I don't always take great photos of my kids. Sometimes I just want to be a mom taking pictures. With three kids to run me wild, I sometimes have to grab the camera quickly and just point, shoot, and hope for the best. Most of the time, those are the best photos anyway. Random and in the moment.

4. But when I want a good photograph, I take a lot to get it just right.

5. Sometimes I have to do a little finagling to get everyone to look the way I want.

Yup. I take different parts, in the case above, my son's and my toddler's heads, and re-do them. I don't do it all the time. In fact, I rarely have to do it, but this is one shot that called for it.
FYI - I only re-did my son's head because my husband didn't like the tilt of the head our son had. So I guess I'm not the only weird one.

I Need Mommy Friends

Sad, but true

I need mommy friends. Friends with a similar lifestyle. I'm in my, dare I say it, late 30's, and I need friends who can relate to me and who I can relate to. Married with children, home-owners, mom of twins would also be nice. It's hard to get together with my old friends. It's hard because of scheduling conflicts (theirs, not mine). It's hard because, as much as I love my old friends, we have nothing in common anymore. I am a sahm of one toddler and baby twins. I am a wife. I am a home-owner. I drive a mini-van for Pete's sake! My friends are still single. No children. Work full time. Even though we may have things to talk about, most of the time it's about the past. The past is OK, but, with a husband and three kids, I'm living in the present and looking to my future.

Is it wrong for me to want to move on? Is it wrong for me to want to keep these friendships even though we never see or talk to each other? Is it wrong to want more compatible friends? Is it wrong to get frustrated by all the cancelled plans (not by me). Is it wrong? Why am I made to feel guilty about wanting more? Wanting to hang out with someone who can get where I'm coming from. I can still get where my friends are coming from because I've been there, done that. But my friends have never been there, done that in respect to what my life is like now. I can't talk to them about the hardships of raising a toddler. About how annoying potty training is. About having been pregnant with twins and what it was like to go home from the hospital without them. About how hard it is trying to make it through the day without crumbling to the floor sobbing because you're so stressed out by all the crying and whining and screaming and all the times you have to say "No." About how awesome it is to have three children. About how awesome it is to have such a supportive husband. I can't talk about any of that. I can't have a conversation about the things that matter most in my life because it would be a one way conversation.

So I need mommy friends. This is a dilemma in itself because I am so bad at meeting new people. I suck at small talk. Sure, I can write pretty well, and I may seem outgoing in my writings, but I am an introvert when it comes to face to face contact. I'm a bit shy. It took me almost two years to have a play date/get together with another mommy from my daughter's play group. Two years! We saw each other once a week for two years, talked during the class, and I still couldn't get up the nerve to say, "Hey. Let's get together with the kids and enjoy some adult conversation." It took me two whole fuckin' years! I suck at small talk. That's my issue. Yeah, that's it. That's gotta be it.

Ya wanna know the stupid thing? We bought a house a little over a year and a half ago and our next door neighbor has four children. Their youngest are boy/girl twins who will be in the same grade as my toddler when they start school. The stupid thing? Well, the stupid thing is that we say "Hi" when we see each other and sometimes will have a five minute conversation, but have I once said, "Hey. Why don't you come over for some coffee/tea and the kids can play with each other?" Nope. Not once. Why? We are probably the same age and we have a lot, it seems, in common. Uck. I'm just a coward. What am I so afraid of. The worst she can say is, "No thanks. Not interested."  And I know she wouldn't say that, so what's stopping me? We'll be neighbors for a very long time (most likely), so why not be friends, too?

The weather is getting warmer. I am not pregnant or trying to get pregnant anymore. My twins are getting into a steady routine. My toddler is a bit more independent. I think it's about time to start making plans with other moms. Moms from my daughter's play group. Moms on my block. It's gotta be done or I'll go more crazy than I am now. I have to have other moms to talk to about day to day life with kids and husbands and houses. It's way overdue. Now, let me go to practice some small talk in my mirror while I try not to be embarrassed that I'm actually doing that.

Monster Mommy

I adore my children. They are and forever will be my heart and soul running free, split three ways. With that said, I sometimes have an alter ego...Monster Mommy.

No one likes Monster Mommy, especially me. All three see Monster Mommy sometimes when the loud screaming, whining, and crying is tripled. They hear Monster Mommy scream, "Stop crying already!" Sometimes they hear Monster Mommy scream, "Do not say "No" to me again. I am your mother. You listen to me." Monster Mommy knows this does not help the situation, but for a brief second, and I mean "second" it seems to calm the headache.

Headache. I have had a headache for the past five and a half years. It began a couple of months after I got married in 2009. This headache has been with me through all four of my pregnancies. It has witnessed two losses, countless tests, one uterine surgery, poking and prodding, medications, three disappointments, pregnancy, completely natural childbirth (baby over 8lbs), six breast infections/abscesses, two breast surgeries, depression, more tests, more poking and prodding, more medications, five disappointments, buying a house, another set of tests, lots of poking and prodding, a ton more medications, twin pregnancy, extremely shortened cervix at 25 weeks along, twin vaginal birth (each baby over 6lbs) at 34 weeks along, and now a three year old and five month old twins.

It has been a busy five and a half years. It has beaten me down and picked me back up again. It has done a number on my body. It has forever changed my life and who I am. All this and I would not change a thing. If I had the chance to go back and not have any of the losses or disappointments, I would not have my beautiful winter Lily or my sweet Killian or my precious Piper. I would not know their love and that would be the most horrible thing to happen.

So Monster Mommy may come out every now and again, but don't we mothers need a little bit of a scary voice to, at times, control out of control kids? I hope to one day perfect Monster Mommy into not having a voice at all. I hope to perfect her, as my mother did, by just having "the look." Oh, the look that sends chills down your spine. The look that let's you know you're in trouble and you better make a run for it. The look that says, "Go ahead. Try that one more time and see what happens." Yeah, that look. My three year old laughs at my look now and makes her own right back at me. One day, Lily. One day, you and your brother and sister will dread that look. One day, you won't want to do anything that may bring out that Monster Mommy. Then, maybe then, my headache will go away.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

I had a bag of Fresh Frozen Blueberries for a couple of months now and haven't used them for anything. Fresh Frozen? Isn't that what Gordon Ramsey makes faces at when chef's say that on his T.V. show Kitchen Nightmares? Anyway, they are blueberries, just, well, frozen. No biggie. If they didn't come out tasting good in this recipe then I knew I would never buy them frozen again.

You can get the recipe HERE.

OK, so I tried this recipe from allrecipes.com. It got really great reviews so I decided, "what the heck!" My husband was in the mood for me to make blueberry pancakes, but I decided this would be a much better alternative. Boy was I right! As we were eating these, I told my husband that he was so lucky to have a wife who can bake and make him such yummy goodness. He agreed. Thanks, Mom, for handing down your baking skills to me!

Pros:

1. Very easy to make. About 10 minutes to prepare the batter.
2. The batter was thick and really easy to work with.
3. The recipe calls for fresh blueberries, but I used frozen. It didn't seem to make a difference.
4. These muffins melt in your mouth.
5. The cinnamon crumb topping really makes these muffins stand out.

Cons:

1. This recipe only makes 10 muffins, not a full dozen.
2. The cinnamon crumb topping recipe makes a lot. Too much to use it all so if you don't want to waste ingredients, double the muffin batter and make 20 muffins.
3. They are so yummy, they will not last and I will be forced (happily) to make these very often.

My takeaway on these muffins is follow the recipe and you can't go wrong. These are very moist, melt in your mouth, blueberry-lisious. If you are in the mood to bake blueberry muffins, bake these. You won't be disappointed! 

Work or Stay At Home

Before I got pregnant with our first daughter, now three years old, I had a long discussion with my husband about whether or not I would continue to work. I was making a pretty decent salary, but then I worked out some numbers. It is a numbers game here because I could've kept working. I could've paid for daycare. I could've, but I didn't and it all came down to numbers. Well, numbers and the fact I didn't want some stranger practically raising our child. For some, they have no choice in the matter, but I was and am very fortunate to be able to stay home to care for my family. 

So, there we were discussing our future or more-so, my working future and I laid it all out for my husband. If I continued to work, practically my entire salary would be paying for daycare. Let me repeat, "My entire salary!" I would be working for the sole purpose of having one child in daycare. What was the point of that? It didn't make sense. And forget about the fact that we now have twins. My whole paycheck plus some of my husband's would be paying for it. How ridiculous is that? I really don't know how both parents who work do it, let alone single parents. 

The daycare scene is a money maker, definitely. I'm on Long Island, New York, so I'm not sure what it's like in other parts of New York or in other states, but here, the price to put your child in daycare is costly. I guess it should be since you want the people who are taking care of your children to be happy. If they get paid very little or it isn't a very nice facility, then you might have issues. So I guess expensive daycare equals quality care? Who knows. All I know is I don't have to know. My situation is a blessing. So to all those working moms out there, I hope you are getting the best quality care for your children. To all those SAHM's, I hope you're giving the best quality care. In the end, it's all about the Benjamin's...and Katie's...and Joey's...and Jennifer's...and.....

Men are better than women!

Men,
We women do not care about the ugly-ass sweater you bought just to show off to us. We have better things to be excited about, like you thinking we are useful and even pleasant inside the house. Gee, it makes us beam just to know you won't be hauling us up a cliff when we secretly want to hurl you off of one. Because, let's face it, women are such a drag on a mountain. So you go ahead and show off that warm, hand fashioned sweater you bought for yourself. Show it off to your mountain buddy because isn't he the one you want to look good in front of anyway? On the level!

What does "Identical" mean again?

I really am amazed sometimes at the stupidity of others. This stupidity of not knowing what the word "identical" means when it comes to twins.

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identical
adjective
1.     similar in every way
2.     being the very same; selfsame
3.     agreeing exactly


identical twin
noun
     one of a pair of twins who develop from a single fertilized ovum and therefore have the same genotype, are of the same sex, and usually resemble each other closely.


fraternal twin
noun
     one of a pair of twins, not necessarily resembling each other, or of the same sex, that develop from two separately fertilized ova.
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The definition escapes so many people.

1. When I went in for my first post-natal checkup at my obstetrician's office, the nurse asked me what the sex of my twins were. I said a boy and a girl. She then asked me if they are identical.
2. I was talking with the receptionist at my children's pediatrician's office who has twins herself. I was talking to her about this very subject after she came over to see my twins. I said people ask the most stupid questions sometimes, like, "are they identical?" She laughed a little then in all seriousness asked, "well, are they identical?"
3. A teacher, whom my mother works with, asked if they are identical and my mother replied with, "No. They are a boy and a girl. How could they be identical?" The teacher was confused and said she thought it had something to do with their facial features looking similar.

I shake my head and roll my eyes so many times it hurts. Come on people. Smarten up!

Having twins will be hard?

Wow. State the obvious now, thanks. Another one I get is, "How do you go anywhere with a 3 year old and baby twins?" Well, I put everyone in the car and drive. Duh! It may take me 45 minutes to get out, but I do what I gotta do. What people fail to realize is that until you are in a situation yourself, you have no clue about anything. Don't tell me what it must be like to have a toddler and twins when you don't even have kids. Don't give me advice on how to handle twins when you don't have twins. And no, it doesn't matter that you have more than one kid. It does not compare to having two infants/babies at the same time.

The hardest thing about having twins is the feeding schedule. My twins are on the same schedule so it's a major decision on who to feed first. The one that's more vocal gets first dibs but then I have to turn the one that's not eating away from seeing me feed the other one. They have a total melt down if they realize they're going second (even at almost five months of age). Jealous much?

Mommy of Twins rant over for today! Take no offense, please.

12 Reasons Why Motherhood Made Me A Gross Person

Yes, I am a mother. A mother of three beautiful children. My oldest girl is three years old, and I have (almost) five month old boy/girl twins. Being their mommy has made me a really gross person. I mean, really. I hope not to be alone in this grossness of mothering because if it's just me, then I probably should get help.

12 Reasons Why Motherhood Has Made Me A Gross Person

1. While pregnant, I threw up in my bathroom trash can while sitting on the toilet at least twice a day and when I was finished I would eat a hot dog because that seemed to help.
2. I pee myself. Yup. I admit it. I sometimes pee my pants. This occurred while pregnant and after. It can't be helped unfortunately. While pregnant, especially with my twins, the pressure on my bladder was immense. After pushing all three babies out of my you-know-what, well, that should be obvious, I now have weak pelvic muscles. I sneeze and sometimes a little comes out. 
3. I pick other human being's noses. And ears. And that stuff I like to call "punks" in between fingers and toes. And belly button fuzz. And eye boogies. And I'm not the least bit grossed out by it.
4. I put feet in my mouth. Baby feet, of course, but still feet.
5. I smell butts. On purpose. I'm smelling for poo, or a lot of pee.
6. I get poo on my fingers, hands, and sometimes clothes at least once a day and I'm OK with it.
7. If my husband changes a poop diaper, I ask him what it looked like. I am genuinely curious about the state of my little one's poo (hard or soft and what color it was).
8. I say, "Hooray!" for poopoo and peepee. Potty training in full effect, yo!
9. I sometimes don't shower for a couple of days. Who has time for showers when you have a toddler and baby twins hanging on you 24/7? If I am lucky enough to take a shower, it's a madd rush to get it done in under 5 minutes. It's a race to see who will do something first: babies crying, toddler getting into something she's not supposed to, or me, finishing my shower. 
10. I pick spilled food off the floor, blow on it and put it back on my toddler's plate. Hey, don't judge me on this one. After she spills her food for the fifteenth time, I can only throw out so much before she doesn't have anything to eat. I just think of it as an immunity booster. Plus, my floor isn't that dirty. I do sweep, mop, and vacuum. 
11. I get spit up on, wipe it up and remain in spit up stained and smelly clothes. Hey, it'll just happen again so why bother making more dirty laundry.
12. My toddler lovingly farts on me and laughs. I laugh with her.

Ask me if I'm embarrassed by any of these things and my answer will be, "Not really." Why? Because that's how gross motherhood is, that's why!

Used and Reviewed: Pampers vs. Huggies

 vs. 

This has been a long time debate on which brand of diapers are better. I have used both with all of my kids, but the ones I will always and forever recommend are Pampers. Here's why:

• I RARELY have had a leakage problem or a blowout with Pampers Swaddlers, Cruisers, & Easy Ups

That's all. Nothing else should matter when you are in the market for baby diapers. Really. Nothing else! I tried Huggies a couple of times. Different size diapers and even their Pull Ups couldn't hold pee and sometimes poop. Seriously. Every time I used them, there was another wet mess all over the place. Well, maybe you weren't putting them on correctly. Umm, really? Like, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know the correct way to put a diaper on a baby. 

I can say without a doubt that I will always and forever also buy Pampers wipes and not Huggies. Here's why:

• Pampers wipes are very strong
• Huggies wipes rip when I take one out to use, then another, and another. They also rip when wiping up a messy butt.

Great reasons if I say so myself, and I do. Why would anyone risk getting poop on their hands because the wipe couldn't do it's job? Why struggle trying to get a wipe out of the travel wipe case when you need to be quick about it when you're out and about? Pampers all the way!

FYI: I am not getting paid to make any reviews. These are just the things I have used or do use and want to let more parents know about. 

Baked & Reviewed: Chocolate Linzer Tart

OK, this one is for a friend who suggested I bake Linzer Tarts. I didn't have any raspberry or strawberry preserves in the house so I opted to make chocolate ones. I'm so glad I did. Holy moly goodness in my tummy!

I adapted a recipe from a few different linzer tart recipes I found on the web. They are firm enough to hold but when you bite into them, the cookie is soft. The chocolate is melt in your mouth tasty. I can't wait to eat another one!

Here's the recipe:

You mean a woman can open it?

Yay! I can finally open a ketchup bottle without the help of my strong and capable man. How did us women get so lucky? You are the best, Del Monte. Thank you so much for making it so easy to open your bottles. I know I am just a weak woman, but you give me the security of standing on my own whenever I need to put ketchup on something. I bet I won't even break a fingernail. Go, me!

Just Like Her Mommy

My daughter, Lily, is 3 years old and is so very sarcastic, witty, and funny. Of course she drives us crazy at times, what 3 year old wouldn't? But some of the things she comes up with are just amazing and she has such a wonderful imagination. Here's a few examples:

1. It was bedtime, I forget when. I'll say about 6 months ago. Anyway, Lily said she couldn't sleep because she was scared of the monster in her bedroom. I told her she should introduce herself to the monster. Maybe he is scared of her. Well, needless to say, "Roar" has been her friend ever since. She plays with him and they hold hands. It's kinda creepy the way she "looks" at him as if there really is someone there. She refers to him as "My Friend Roar" and he goes almost everywhere with her. Oh, and we just watched the movie Iron Giant and now she has a robot friend, too.
2. Lily closes her door for bedtime. She stands there for a second then starts rubbing the door. She hugs it, as best as you can hug something you can't put your arms around. Then she whispers, "I love you door" and gives it a kiss.

As a young child, I too cared for inanimate objects. I thought everything had feelings. Everything. I slept with a chair because I thought it had feelings and I didn't want it to feel left out while all of my stuffed animals and dolls were on my bed. Yes, I was that weird! I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

Me, circa 1981 (about the same age or just a tad bit older than Lily) with my favorite chair

Why ruin the evening, Mother?

Oh look, Mom is yelling. Of course Dad and son are thinking that Mom is always yelling for some reason or another. Better get Mom some New Ivory Soap for her "nerves." Yea, that'll help! Taking a bath is the sure fire way to relax and forget about all the bullshit you have to put up with day in and day out. It's also the best way to be the perfect wife and mother who will just laugh at the mess the kid left after running through the house with mud on his feet after having just washed the floors. It's also the best way to shrug off the fact that hubby tells you he just wants to relax and eat dinner after a hard day at work when he can clearly see that you have had a rough day yourself. No, "Thanks for making my favorite dinner, Mom." No, "Gee Honey, the house is spotless, you've done a good job." But don't let your feelings get the best of you, Mom. Don't let anyone know how hard it is for you to do what you do all day. God forbid they see you a little stressed out. No. Just get that bar of soap, take that bath, because as all of us SAHM's and housewives know, there is always enough time in our day to unwind in a nice warm tub.

Used and Reviewed: The Baby Brezza

They did not have this when my daughter was born, but this has definitely saved mine and my husband's life (OK, really just our ears)! Everybody who has a baby, AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE TWINS or more, go out and do yourself a favor: Get the Baby Brezza!!

The set up is really easy. With our first daughter, we were taking so much time to make a quart or more of formula so we could have it made ahead of time. We would be left with clumps of formula that wasn't able to mix in. Not good! Then the amount of foam was ridiculous. After storing it in the fridge, the heat up time was also annoying since we couldn't just grab the bottle quickly. The Baby Brezza makes all of that nonsense non-existent. Now, with our twins, we just place the bottle under the funnel part of the Baby Brezza, press the button and presto! A perfect bottle of formula each time in under 15 seconds.

Pros: 

• Easy to use functionality.
• Mixes formula and water without bubbles and foam.
• Keeps the water at just the right temperature for baby to drink.
• Fits really nicely on your kitchen counter (next to your Kurig Machine or Tassimo Machine! lol).
• Press the button and under 15 seconds later the bottle is made.

Cons:

• Only has the ability to make 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 ounces of formula at a time. Not bad, but it would be nice to at least have the option to make 1 ounce or even 1/2 an ounce. Some formula may be wasted if you baby is only drinking, let's say, 7 ounces. No biggie, but formula is sooooo expensive.
• The water takes a little too long to warm up. I keep mine on all the time for this reason.
• It seems to only come in white (if anyone really cares about that).

All in all, I highly recommend this product. It saves a lot of time making those damn bottles, plus you don't get all that foam that makes baby gassy. You also don't have to heat the bottle up, which takes time as well. A great gift for yourself or someone else who has a singleton, even better if they have twins. WELL WORTH THE MONEY!

FYI: I am not getting paid to make any reviews. These are just the things I have used or do use and want to let more parents know about.