Child Labor Part 2

Here are some pictures from the girls recent attempt to earn their keep here at home.

(Some of you may remember another way we've put them to work.)

We did some yard work a couple weeks ago and by we, I mean, Stephen and my brother. They did an awesome job and the yard looks great. We did need to go back and put a weed barrier underneath the pavers we got for the side of the garden and I thought this was a great opportunity for us all to be outside since it was such a nice night.

The girls were more than happy to assist!

Here's Dad telling the girls the plan.

Almost as important as the plan is how to use the tools!

Looks like Peyton has it down!

Monkey see, monkey do has its advantages!

Also, all yard work should be level. Contractors take note. Love, Peyton

Again, we have nothing against child labor.

And now onto the flowers. Peyton looks on as Grace starting watering.

Time is money! Peyton gets to work!

And where was Rowan while this family outing was taken place? She was learning and absorbing all the techniques being used by her sisters. We weren't going to let this teaching experience pass us by!

She is LOVING the infant carrier! Can't you tell??

The Big Reward

Daddy, with the help of Nana, took the girls to the Orpheum Theater to see Storytime Live! Nickelodeon has strategically been running commericals and "behind the scenes" bits (read: more commercials) so the girls have been asking to go for a while. We told them yesterday, as a surprise for being "big girls" at night, they had tickets to the show. They were ecstatic and off they went while Mommy stayed home with Baby Rowan and enjoyed some "quiet time".

Here they are leaning over the balcony checking out the action!

Here's the action! This was the Wonder Pets portion of the show.

Nana was a big help!

Also, Daddy breathed a big sigh of relief he didn't have to handle the bathroom duties!

I'm not certain what Grace is doing here but I'm pretty sure if someone wielding a flashlight saw her we wouldn't be allowed back...

Although I do think it's funny her father is the one taking this picture.

The girls had a great time at the show and the rewards seems to still be working! Now we have to think of a reward big enough to make sure they don't start dating until they are 30... If you have any ideas, let us know!

Dare we say it? Part 2

We're potty trained!!!

(Disclaimer: 2 out of 3 kids)

Now, for my (two) devout followers that read this blog daily (big shout out to Mom & Dad!), I've actually typed these words before so let me explain.

The girls have been potty trained for a while now, during the day. Ever since they were about 2 1/2 or so. I guess this could be "late" for some but I am so glad we waited. I was dreading this time and it was about as easy (with twins no less!) as I could have imagined. Yes, we bought diapers for longer but in the end waiting for them to be ready was worth it. All that being said, our daycare took the brunt of the training. I sent them to school with 10 pairs of shorts and within 3 days and 3 pairs of washed shorts they were trained. I do recognize that we are very lucky we got a "free pass" for this otherwise difficult milestone. However I think it might be due to the fact that we didn't sleep for 8 months in the beginning, or that formula cost $25 a can every 2 1/2 days, or I could on - but I'll stop, you get the point I'm sure.

We decided (against convention maybe?) to keep them in pull-ups at night. We knew I was pregnant and didn't want to rock the boat even more. We also had a not so great habit of letting them have their sippy cups before bedtime which we knew would have to stop when we made this transition. They were sick most of the winter leading up to Christmas so trying to do it then wouldn't have worked. After Christmas I was in my 3rd trimester, big as a house, and with Rowan on the way we didn't want to deal with regression after the baby got here so we just waited.

So 6 nights ago the girls asked to asked to be "big girls" at night. We were planning on this day once our last pull-ups were gone which would have been in a week or so but they beat us to the punch! We told them they could have a couple sips of water before bed but they had to give us their sippy cups after dinner. They obliged without whining, much to our surprise! They've been "big girls" for 6 mornings in a row now and we couldn't be happier!

I realize waiting this long is not normal but it worked for us and has not, at any point, given us a headache. A lot of it I think has to do with the fact that there are two of them so it will be interesting to see how we handle this milestone with Rowan. I say this of course as she is wearing size 1 diapers. We have a LONG way to go before we need to think about pull-ups again!

And the big reward for being "big girls" all day long?
(Because really, would you do this without expecting something in return? Not our kids!)

More on that in the next post!

Rowan is a Growin'

Wow!

That's the feeling we left the doctor's office with last Friday for Rowan's 2 week (and 2 days) check-up.

When Rowan was born she weighed 8lbs and 11.6oz (fine, 12 ounces).

When she left the hospital on Day 4 she weighed 8lbs even. Totally normal and within range of what newborns are expected to lose.

We took her for her first check-up when she was 7 days old and she weighed 8lbs 4oz. Our doctor told us he thought she would get back up to her birth weight (8lbs 12 oz) by her 2 week check-up. With us nursing, we were really hoping she would be back to her birth weight as it is a good sign of a successful start. Our fingers were crossed!

We took her in for her 2 week check-up (she was actually 16 days old) and laid our precious, fragile newborn on the scale...

... which tipped to 9lbs 10oz!!! (95th percentile)

That's 68 grams a day that she gained. Apparently, I need to stop eating Easter candy yesterday!

The poor nurse that weighed her asked if we wanted her re-weighed. We said no, we trusted her, we just couldn't believe what the scale said. It was like we were first time parents again, we kept asking our doctor if this was normal - had he seen this before?! I mean, she doesn't look that big but the scale doesn't lie, right? He said it was completely normal and that with her height at 21 3/4 inches being in the 95th percentile as well (up from 21 at birth) she was doing just fine. He said she could start to slow down in her weight gain but he wouldn't be surprised if she was 13lbs at her 2 month check-up!!! Oh my!

This is all new territory for us as the girls weighed 4lbs 9oz and 4lbs 11oz at birth and are only 30lbs now at 3 years old. The girls weights combined is only 8oz more than Rowan weighed AT BIRTH.

My plan for Rowan to be fully clothed in her sister's outfits until she can pay for her own clothes may have already come to an end! We will see!

Here's our "little" girl after her bath last night.