The Nelson Narrative

Here is a list of things that I wish I could do with the girls on rainy days, or any day really just for variety and to get out of the house: Go to the mall's play area Go to the Childrens Museum Go to a Kindermusic class (or similar.  I'd love to do Gymboree but we've already been to a free trial and we can't afford a membership, plus it really is for just one child per adult) Go to any store/business I want without worrying whether the double stroller can be accomodated But alas, none of these can be done with just me.  In the first two examples they would be off in two different directions and even though the mall's play area is very contained, it's also quite large and I would worry that while I was chasing down one of the girls the other would be somewhere at the opposite end and maybe push another child or something and I wouldn't be there to prevent it and/or correct her. So as far as weekday outings go we're pretty much limited to storyt...

Last Sunday we took the girls to Jubilee Farms. It was so much fun! We took a hayride to the pumkpin fields where we searched high and low for two (that was all we could carry) perfect pumpkins. Kayley especially loved tromping through the fields examining every squash in her path saying "apple, apple" over and over. I'd correct, "no, Honey, that's a pumpkin" to which she'd reply "apple". Sigh. Everything round is either a ball or an apple, depending on whether it has a stem or looks food-like or not (pears, squash, etc are all "apples"). Olivia, on the other hand, was a little more focused on all the dirt and mud and therefore not as thrilled with the whole pumpkin hunt as Kayley. She let us know it was time to get back to dry/clean ground when I attempted to get a picture of the two of them together with our prized picks. Oh well, back on the hay wagon we went. After Paul hauled both our pumpkins to the car while I chased the ...

I wish it wasn't so difficult to just grab a latte whenever the mood strikes. Today we went to storytime, and then to pick up a few groceries. The store and the library are right next to each other so we were able to walk in-between. Going to storytime is hard enough, because (and this is the case whenever we go anywhere that doesn't have shopping cart returns throughout the parking lot) I have to get one of the girls out, go around to the other side, put her on the floor of the car while I get the other one out, and then juggle them both plus my purse plus the keys so I can lock the car, all the while trying not to let either one run out into the parking lot or street or wherever, then carry Olivia while I let Kayley walk (because Olivia HATES to hold my hand)...it's such a pain in the butt. Anyway, after storytime we walked to the store and I put them in a shopping cart and we did our shopping. Then I went next door to Starbucks to get a latte. Turns out it's much eas...

Last Friday I took the girls to a free Gymboree class. They loved it and had a blast! It was very challenging for me, however, to get them to and from and manage them during. Normally I would use a stroller but I didn't want to put them in the stroller to walk the short distance from the car to the building, plus it was only a single wide door so it wouldn't have fit through. See, going to Target or Fred Meyer is easy--I park right next to a cart return so I can grab a cart/return the cart without having to take more than just a few steps from the car (I literally can still touch the car as I'm returning the cart). I put them in, go into the store, do our shopping, go back to the car, put them in the car, return the cart. But other places are a little more challenging. For the Gymboree class, I parked, got one baby out, carried her around to the other side of the car and put her down to get the other baby out, trying all the while to hold her in place with my legs to keep h...

Before I had kids I always just assumed that when I did, I would frequently, or at least occasionally, be using the diaper changing stations in restaurant and mall restrooms. As it turns out, not so much. As I was packing the diaper bag yesterday before heading out to run some errands, it occured to me that I almost never need to do that. I think I did once or twice in the early days, and I remember changing them in the back of the SUV in a Target parking lot after church one Sunday, but for the most part we are never gone long enough to necessitate a public diaper change. Breakfast is usually around 8:00 and lunch is at 11:00 (in order to squeeze it in before nap time) so if we go anywhere in the morning, which is rare because I usually like to work out and shower during this time, we can't leave until 9:00 or 9:30 and we have to be back by 11:00. Sure we could have our lunch while we're out, but then they'd fall asleep in the car right after and usually when that happens ...

If you're wondering what it's like to have twins, I'll use a trip to the store for a small taste. First, when I decide I want to go out I start by making sure both babies are changed and fed, then I have to pack the diaper bag (mostly already packed but I fill bottles with water and pack the formula or might need to add a few diapers or whatever). Then I have to get myself ready, i.e, put on a little makeup, socks, shoes, pee, grab a coat, etc. This can all take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half. When that's done, I get the carriers out of the pantry, put socks (they would normally already be wearing socks but they never stay on) and a jacket on one baby and strap her in. Repeat with the other baby. Then, since it's too hard to carry both carriers and the diaper bag at the same time, I take one baby and the diaper bag and carry them out to the garage. Then I go back in the house for the other baby. I get one baby in the car, go back to the garage for th...