Two times two equals f#&%

re: Two times two equals f#&%

mom--ee — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 02:19:49 GMT

I love your Top Chef rendition.

I just basically love Top Chef. It's total escapism for a former foodie turned twin mom, who now has not the free time nor disposable income to dine in the manner that suits her.... sigh....

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Emma — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:03:18 GMT

I absolutely sympathize re the tantrums, for me they have been the hardest part of parenting by far. I rarely manage grace, and never humour (quickcuppatea.blogspot.com/.../grace.html). And my second is fast-approaching their onset... oy.

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Roper — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:37:44 GMT

Lena -- your girls are adorable! Love the video. (And the shoes!)

re: Two times two equals f#&%

MidLifeMama — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:35:30 GMT

First off, that video is hilarious. And I guess it must be hard to have those brains developing new synapses and firing off new skills and words and ideas constantly, only to be thwarted by being, well, 2. Cooper just turned 2 and has all these grand notions about what he should be able to do, like bring every toy he owns in the car on the ride to school every morning for example, yet he doesn't QUITE have the communication skills to get that that is impracticle, unreasonable and then the lip comes out and the head tilts and the tears and the wailing and gnashing of teeth. I am pretty sure it stays this way until they move out of the house.

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Jennifer — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:32:08 GMT

Unfortunately it doesn't get any easier with actual 2 year olds than it does with almost 2 year olds. I have yelled more in the last 6 months than I have in my entire life. But the funny/cute/adorable moments seem to increase proportionately to the meltdowns/tantrums/chaos. Having twins is a million times more difficult than just one but it's also a million times more rewarding, as your video shows.

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Lena — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:20:39 GMT

As usual, your post mirrors my own life. My girls are 20 months, and the Thanksgiving weekend was downright depressing because I'm coming to the realization that the "almost terrible twos" are upon us. We tried to go shopping (to an outdoor mall) and J (my drama queen) was like a mini crazy person! Then, we attempted to take them to a wedding.... oh boy, big mistake. We spent the entire ceremony sitting on the front steps of the church with two crazy toddlers that wouldn't keep their shoes on.... We tried to stay for the reception but soon realized we didn't have the patience or energy, so we left. But then we got home and I took the funniest video of them trying on my shoes: http://www.vimeo.com/2408615 (yes, I took it sideways - I'm an idiot).

re: Two times two equals f#&%

SER — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:33:13 GMT

S. is starting to have tantrums now, too. It's hard not to laugh at him during some of them, given how silly it is that he's mad about something. For instance, he wanted to throw the CO2 monitor down the stairs the other day, and I wouldn't let him. Eventually, I took it away. He then threw himself melodramatically against the wall and started howling with rage/indignation/hurt. B. and I couldn't stop laughing. This is probably scarring S. in some key way.

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Rachel — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:59:14 GMT

That video is so cute! I can't wait to see the girls in person.

The terrible almost-twos - ugh. I remember them well, and I can't imagine doing it with 2 of them! It is so hard to respond with humor and grace, even if you are normally a pretty relaxed person. Tantrums raise your blood pressure and increase your heart rate - even more when it is your own child. Wish I had some advice...all I can say is that this stage will pass! (I didn't find that advice so helpful when I was in the thick of things, but now that I am on the other side of it, I can say that it is definitely short-lived.). Good luck.

re: Two times two equals f#&%

April — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:35:01 GMT

haha the video was so cute. I love how she says "Cweeeeoooo" :)

I think maybe all twins are like that. I have E who is a champion fit thrower. He has red hair and he gets his Irish temper up no doubt about it. He will get frustrated with a toy and start banging it and fussing. If he gets picked up by my husband when he doesn't want to be picked up he will do this flailing thing that kicks my poor husband in the balls repeatedly. This is the 30 pound 18 month old too.... He is the size of a three year old with the temper of an 18 month old! Can you imagine?! They will last and last sometimes and just like Clio.

Then we have H. He hardly ever tantrums. When he does it is more like crying and traumatized. He just boo hoos and big tears come out and it is like I have morally offended him and he thinks I don't love him. While E has no tears and just is putting on a big show. So H is more like Elsa. I wonder if all twins have one big shower and one big drama queen?

I can't wait till mine can say each other's names! How cute! Glad you had a good Thanksgiving weekend.

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Jen — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:16:13 GMT

@Melissa - not a public stoning - but you really are setting yourself up for trouble now if you continue to hit Michael. You're sending a powerful signal to HIM that hitting is an acceptable response when frustrated so he'll internalize that in his own interactions with his peers and his interactions with adults.

And more troubling, the enormous power differential between a parent/adult and a child makes the hitting option totally unacceptable. It's up to us as adults to establish the boundaries which govern the adult/child relationship.

Other disciplinary options are available and I hope for your sake and particularly for Michael's that you'll opt for those.

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Melissa — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:40:25 GMT

Michael has hit the terrible almost-twos as well. Everything is NO. To me, though, his tantrums are less intense than they were from say, 13-19 months. When he goes nuts, I just walk away until he gets a grip. There's no talking him down, and it only frustrates him more. It's usually over in a few minutes. I'm sure this is harder with twins, because you have to make sure one doesn't hurt or set off the other.

In extreme cases, where I have to get something done and he's refusing to cooperate (like running away or twisting and turning when I try to put his diaper on in the morning when we have limited time), I give him a little pop on the leg. It doesn't really hurt him, he cries, but I can now put his diaper on or get him in the car seat or whatever he's refusing to do and in a few seconds he's over it.

I know I'm going to draw fire from the never hit your child crowd, but I'm going to dare to be honest here. It's kind of like the movies when a person gets hysterical and they slap them in the face and tell them to pull it together. It didn't work when he was younger but now sometimes it's the only thing that will work. Works better than yelling anyway.

Okay, let the public stoning commence.

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Marie Eve — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:35:58 GMT

This video is too cute, and I'm with lex here...

My son is about the same age, and I pretty much feel the same, the tantrums are just awful, but at the same time in counterpart it's such an interesting, awe-inspiring, and awesome stage...

I can only admire you for handling two but since my son was the fussiest, most difficult baby on the face of the earth (I wish I was kidding), even during tantrum-prone days now it's still usually much better than during the first few months of his life.

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Chantal — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:29:01 GMT

That clip is so adorable! We are going through the exact same thing with our girls. They just turned 21 months old.

One moment I feel like they are the cutest little girls in the world and the next I think I have put little monsters on the earth :) I have learned to deal with the moments when they are both happy or 1 happy and 1 not. However, I am still struggling with keeping it together when both are having a meltdown. I will remember your 'serenity now' line which will make me laugh and will at least get me through the worst of it :)

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Aunt Heidi — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:28:52 GMT

Totally adorable as usual...but that dog seems less than amused ;-)

re: Two times two equals f#&%

Julia — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:51:22 GMT

I know I was the world's worst tantrum-thrower (I know, could you have guessed? I'm so even-tempered and delightful now!), so I'll ask my mom when she wakes up what she did to not strangle me (it's a mystery I'd like to know the answer to as well), but until then I have to say that Robin and I watched that video and literally screamed with laughter. I can't believe how much they're talking! Soon I'll be able to take them out to drink juice boxes and discuss great literature (my knowledge of which ends around the time they hit puberty. Grown up books are lame, yo). Gosh, I'm excited. Seriously, any time you feel their tantrums starting to wear you out, send them to cool not-aunt Julia. We'll have a rocking time.

re: Two times two equals f#&%

lex — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:12:19 GMT

I have only one tantrum at a time, and that is enough for me, so I am in total awe of you dealing with the dueling tantrums.

But that video is easily one of the cutest things I've ever seen. I sat here watching it like a grinning idiot. They are ADORABLE.