twins | Do Better

Happy 6th Birthday

July 13, 2008 at 9:09 pm | Posted in Cupcakes, twins | 16 Comments
Tags: birthday cupcakes, dogs, R2-D2, star wars, twins

My kids turned 6 years old today. It feels like a lifetime ago when they came into the world. So much has changed since then.

Here’s a photo of me on July 12, 2002 (my twins original due date), as we were leaving for the hospital.

And here were are today…

Then…

And now…

Think he liked the cupcakes?

Here’s how I made these R2-D2 Cupcake Toppers.

I made dog candies for my daughter’s cupcakes. She loves dogs.

One mom asked where I ordered the dog candies from! That was a nice compliment (I think). To make these I picked up a dog candy mold from Michaels. The hard part was doing the dogs one at a time. First the nose, mouth and eyes. Then the dog collar and tongue. Then the dog tag. And finally the whole dog. After each part I had to put my candy into the refrigerator so it could quickly set up.

It was a super fun day, but now I’m beat…back to the gym tomorrow!

Adventures in Suburbia: The Fuse Bead

January 25, 2008 at 11:12 am | Posted in essay, twins | 10 Comments
Tags: motherhood, twins

It’s a typical Thursday at 3pm. I’ve chopped my bell peppers, onions, garlic and a jalapeno for tonight’s chili. My kids and a neighbor boy are sitting at the table playing with fuse (Perler) beads. When all of a sudden my son comes to me in somewhat of a panic and says,

“I put a bead in my nose and it’s stuck”.

Me: WHAT?!?

Son: I put a bead in my nose and I can’t get it out!

Me: (giggling) Blow like this. (Now you have to picture me blowing my nose with no tissue and “liquid” flying out)

Me: (holding one of his nostrils down) Blow.

Me: (still holding down the opposite nostril) Blow Again.

Me: Blow harder.

My son continues to blow his nose.

Me: (to the neighbor boy) Okay Liam, time to go home.

Son: (now crying) It’s not coming out!

Me: (giggling) Why did you put a bead in your nose?

Son: (crying) Hannah told me to.

Me: (thinking) You’ve got to be kidding me. You are five years old!

Me: (to dear daughter) Hannah, please get daddy’s flashlight for me.

A couple of minutes of nose blowing and still no bead. I can see it. But I’ve just cut a jalapeno and onion and my fingers are spicy and would likely burn if they the inside of his nose or eyes. I try with tweezers for a moment, but then stop because I am too scared that I will push the bead up further into his nose.

Me: (thinking) Crap, time to go to Urgent Care.

Me: Get your shoes, we have to go to the hospital.

Son: (still crying) NO!!!

A couple more minutes of determined nose blowing passes. We really don’t want to go to the hospital. He now has a tissue. I’ve turned off the stove with the pot of chili. Purse in hand. One more try…

Me: The bead! I think you got it!

A frantic search of the floor and no bead, it’s still up there. One more blow and…out comes the bead.