We have very limited children’s books at home. The ones we had in our China apartment were put in boxes and are still on their way here in Kalispell.
We only have wornout copies of Good Night Moon and My World (both books written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd), and Where the Wild Things Are (story and pictures by Maurice Sendak). We have a copy of Once Upon A Potty by Alona Frankel although a page is missing because Nicholas ripped them off after a tantrum episode brought about by heaven-knows-what. Of the Eric Carle mini-book collection, the lone survivor is “A House for Hermit Crab”. I don’t know where “Papa, Please Get the Moon For Me” and “Rooster’s Off to See the World” are. They’re probably under the large couch which I can’t move at this stage of my pregnancy. “Pancakes, Pancakes”, which used to be Nicholas’ favorite morning read was torn into pieces. I found the remnants on the dining table one morning and asked my husband if the dogs have anything to do with it (although I was sure the canines won’t dare touch the pages). He told me he made a mistake of putting the book inside Nicholas’ crib. He was so upset by the time his Dad put him in there to sleep that he poured his frustration on the poor book. So we’re pretty much left with these choices. I’m contemplating on buying some more from Amazon but I haven’t gotten my head to do this task.
Their Uncle Joe and Aunt Sheryl have given then a lot of art books and coloring materials, which we have used for days now. In most occasions, I find them using colored pens to make their own tattoos on their skin. I don’t bother scrubbing their works of art. It’s too much work and the following day, they’ll do it again anyway. They’re kids so… I let them be. That’s another way of saying that I’m a lazy mother who just don’t want to do the scrubbing. Hey, I have a valid excuse: I’m 28 weeks pregnant and bending down to remove the colored lines from their bodies is too much for me (see what I did there? Ha!).
Netflix is a new friend and the twins are allowed to watch some movies there. Antoinette likes Barbie. We don’t want her to view it all the time though. There are obnoxious characters there, and though the fashion slant is cute, I personally don’t want my daughter growing up thinking that pink manicure is “amaaaaaazing” (in Barbie tone and pitch). I’d rather have her watch “Finding Nemo” again and again (which she does with Nicholas) and appreciate the ocean and the creatures living there.
Winnie the Pooh movies are still regulars at home alongside Ratatouille. Love for food is a common trait we all share at home – and Remy, the rat in Ratatouille, has become Nick’s close friend.
Nursery rhymes (thanks Youtube!) is a favorite too. Where before they only perform actions when I sing, the twins are now singing along to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and the Alphabet Song. The stage mother that I am, I cried the first time I heard Antoinette sang “A, B, C, D” then squealed in delight when Nicholas continued with “E, F, G”.
I watch these movies with them lest they encounter characters, expressions, and behaviors which are inadvertently included in what is otherwise viewed as harmless kiddie shows. I’m a pregnant, stay-at-home Mom so I have time to do this with them. Do I enjoy all these shows? Not really. Especially when I have watched them a gazillion times. Honestly, Jeff and I already memorize the sequence of Finding Nemo and the dialogues, and it feels stale to us. Yes, Jeff watched these movies too! But we love our kids – and love involves sacrifice so we sacrifice our personal preferences to watch Marlin and Dory take on an ocean of adventures to find Nemo. We are so selfless (pats ourselves), hahaha!
The twins are entering the stage where they want a lot of things NOW! I certainly don’t like this stage. There is so much whining and moaning and crying. I’m not an angel of a Mom so there are times that I just want to flush them in the toilet so there’s peace and serenity at home.
Early this morning, Jeff declared: “I hate two year olds!” I giggled, finding humor and truth in his statement. A couple of nights ago, I asked him if we made the right decision to have babies after just a short period of being alone as husband and wife. He replied: “Why? Do you want to tell Heavenly Father to take those two back?” Heavens, no!
Raising toddlers is a lot of work but I’m comforted with the thought and the reality unfolding before my eyes that they are growing up to be intelligent and responsive children. Hey, they already help us by throwing some stuffs in the trash can and moving clean clothes from the dryer to the couch (so I can fold them!).
Challenging times – terrible twos and tantrums and totally insane moments of trying to potty train them – but these are exciting times too! Times that we will always look back to in the future when they introduce their first boyfriend/girlfriend to us (which I’m sure will break my heart and will use this weblog as blackmail material).
*Insert evil laugh here*
