Key Lime Pie was terrified the few days before school started. What a hard thing to start high school in a strange place and where you know none of the other students! I never had to do that.
She has settled in really well, however and quickly found friends. I was so worried that she was “behind” in math, because she did not finish Algebra 1 in eighth grade. She barely began Algebra the last few weeks of school last spring. We had been working on algebraic thinking all year as part of morning time using a fantastic program called “Hands on Equations.”
Now, 3 weeks into the school year here in Utah, I am hearing from the Math teacher that I should consider putting Key Lime Pie in Math 1 and 2 concurrently, or she will be bored. All my fears about “behind” were apparently baseless.
Last Monday, Banana Cream Pie decided she hated public school and wanted to go back to home school, because public school makes her write too much, and because she is lonely at school. We had a long talk, with lots of tears and hugs, and I finally convinced her that I couldn’t make a decision like that on a Monday morning, that I would have to consult with her father over a few days, and that in the mean time, she would have to continue going to school.
I pointed out that not wanting to do the work at school is a bad reason to choose home school because she is in 6th grade now, and I would require her to write just as much at home as the school is.
Also one and a half weeks is too short a time to make friends, it needs more time, and switching to home school would not fix that lack of friends problem either.
Hopefully, she starts to feel more like she belongs in school soon.
We made plans to save up some of my substitute teaching money to get either a gerbil or a Guinea Pig, so that Banana Cream Pie has something furry to look forward to playing with after school. She thinks this will make life bearable.
Banana Cream Pie makes chickens
In the mean time, she has been knitting chickens for company.
“The rooster is named Hei Hei. The hens are named Jeremy, Jeff, Nugget, and Bartholomew.” **giggling**Apple Pie makes a hat
Apple Pie is not to be left out of yarn crafts and is crocheting a Jelly fish hat for her planned Halloween costume.
Apple Pie
She is still struggling with reading (I was looking into getting her tested for Dyslexia when we moved) and has shed some tears over the embarrassment of having to read out-loud in class and not being able to get the words right.
But yesterday, she came home jubilant over getting all the math problems on the test correct (and thus earning 3 pieces of candy.) Hopefully this reinforces what I’ve been telling her, that different people learn skills at different paces, and being slow to learn one skill does not take away how gifted she is in other areas.
Zeek/Roo
Also on Wednesday, Zeek cried because Skeeter always gets to have homework and he (Zeek) never gets homework even though they are both in third grade.
Skeeter/Ant
Skeeter sobbed great tears yesterday because I would not let him ride a bike without wearing a helmet.
Each of us have our crosses to bear in this life.
Hike near Gouldings Arch, the Mittens in the background
John Mark, Julie, Marcus, Me (and Skeeter), Blueberry Pie
In 2020, we were supposed to have a family reunion, but we had to postpone it due to covid restrictions. This year, when it was decided to postpone a second time, my dad reacted a huge group site at Aspen Grove so that any cousins who wanted to see each other and hike up Timp mountain could do so.
Matt and Pete
We had such a great time camping and hiking and visiting.
Mom and MarcusMarcus and LukeyDad, Uncle Verne, and Aunt ChristieCegan, Verna, John MarkSammy, Lukey, Kimberly, JimmyJohn Mark’s girls
I took the four littlest kids up to the waterfalls.
I almost took them up the wrong trail.Here we are at the correct trailhead. John Darrell and Matt made it up to Emerald Lake.
The 4 little kids and I made it to the second waterfall (which, I believe, is 2 miles, but felt much longer.)
Zeke took baby penguin steps all the way up, so it was 2 hours up, and we only made it because I bribed him and Skeeter with fruit snacks most of the way.
Banana Cream Pie and Apple Pie ended up hiking ahead with cousins because the twins and I were so slow.
Zeke kept asking me if I would carry him, and I kept saying “no.”
Here is a very hot and tired Zeke at the waterfallThe water was ice cold and refreshing.
Skeeter had a lot more trail left in his legs. When we got to the waterfall, he asked “Where is everybody?” I told him, “all the little kids have gone back down ahead of us. The big kids are going to the top.” “I want to go to the top,” says he. “It’s 5 more miles,” says me. Raising both fists in the air, he announced “I can do it!” (I considered it for about 2 seconds before I came to my senses and we headed back down to camp.
About 2/3 of the way back down, Zeke stopped a total stranger on the trail and asked super pitifully, “Would you carry me?”
I could tell that good-hearted guy was considering it 😂 😬 😬😬😬😬
I assured him we were fine and continued shepherding my boys down.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell on a hike if your 5 year old is actually tired or just bored. I think Zeke was actually tired.
Smiles at the Trailhead
The summit hikers’ report from the resident Captain
Great climb with the kiddos up Mt. Timpanogos, Utah elevation 11,752 ft. above sea level. This was a deceptively difficult climb, but we made it safely. The views were spectacular, and this ranks as the most scenic climb I have done. We hiked about 16 miles round trip and it took us about 14 hours.
First waterfallWe stopped at Emerald Lake where Pumpkin Pie and Peach Pie decided to stay at the lake while we continued. After looking up at what was still left to climb, I didn’t blame them. This mountain teases and tricks you. If you look at the top center, you can see a small white speck which is the shed at the summit.4 made it to the summit
This was the most difficult climb and tallest mountain that Cherry Pie and Key Lime Pie had attempted. Both of them did great.
Key Lime Pie was an amazing climber. She kept up with her uncles and made it all the way to the top. “I guess I inherited your climbing ability, Dad.”Cherry Pie adds her name to the list of summit champions.Going back down what is left of the glacier.
We decided to glissade down the snow field instead of hiking back down the trail. You can see the scale of the mountain by how small we look.
“Mom! I made custard! Ketchup plus mustard equals custard.”
Skeeter
Haircut day for Apple Pie
Apple Pie- Those eyes 😍😍
Granny and Grandpa gave us an incubator for Christmas. There have been eggs it it for 19 days-per Banana Cream Pie’s custom-made hatching day countdown. Only three days until fluffy cuteness.
Special hatching CalendarSoon baby chicks will emerge!!
And…Blueberry Pie bleached his hair. Finally, I have a blonde child!
The Scooter Pies play many games of Forbidden Island and Sushi Go! with momWatercolor narrations from “As You Like It” clockwise from top left: by Peach Pie, Key Lime Pie, and Cherry PieKey Lime Pie’s Bear FamilyBanana Cream Pie’s Baby SealApple Pie’s Brown BearPumpkin Pie goes to Homecoming Dance
Zeek gets super offended if we call him “Baby” or refer to his room as “the babies’ room”
“I not a baby!” He cries.
Zeke’s favorite color is dark blue and light blue.
His favorite game is Smash Bros. His favorite food is saltine crackers and little breakfast sausage links. His favorite treat is fruit snacks. His favorite animal is a lion. His favorite song is “Ducky” (which is a song he and Skeeter made up in which they sing the word “ducky” over and over.) His favorite bedtime story is “Green Eggs and Ham.”
Skeeter’s favorite color is red. His favorite game is Temple Run. His favorite food is chicken nuggets. His favorite treat is cake. His favorite animal is a moose. His favorite song is the Smash Bros Song.
Skeeter’s favorite place to go is the park. His favorite bedtime story is “The very Hungry Caterpillar.”
A conversation they had tonight while I was trying to get them to go to sleep:
Skeeter: we want Taco Tuesday
Zeke: Yeah, and the we want Taco Threesday.
S: And then we want Taco Foursday!
Z: (laughing delightedly) then Taco Fivesday!
S: (laughing hysterically) and then sixday, seven eight ninesday!!
Both of them collapse laughing
Z: we missed Taco Onesday.
Me: how are they so smart? Also, I think Taco Ninesday should be a thing.
As I typed this,,Zeke recognized the word “Taco” on screen. What? They might be reading. Before they start preschool.
Four years ago, my doctor informed me that my baby number 8 was actually baby number 8 AND baby number 9. I was a pretty experienced mommy, but I knew twins would be different. I scoured the internet for information on what I would need. Most mommy bloggers of twins had different life situations than I had. Their twins were usually their first and second babies, or they had a toddler and twins. I don’t think I found a single blog by mothers who already had 7 babies and then had twins. (These women are much too busy to blog.) These mommy bloggers all also seemed to be able to afford the deluxe, premium versions of everything from strollers to diaper bags. That was definitely not me.
I do want to remember what I learned and what turned out to be useful for me. So if you just found out that you are going to be a Mother of Multiples and you have a real life budget, here are the things that were the best things I bought. I got my money’s worth out of all of them. (P.S. None of these links are affiliate links because Missouri and Amazon do not get along–these are just sincerely the things that saved my sanity.)
#1–I ordered this brace when I was 30 weeks along. I should have ordered it at 25 weeks. It really helped reduce how much back pain I had while standing to cook dinner. (by 27 weeks, I only stood up to cook dinner. The rest of the time I sat on the couch watching Dora with Baby Bean.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GO2Q8ZS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uXjKBbDMJKPS7
#3–If it turns out that you partially or fully bottle feed your babies, you will be super glad to have these “hands-free” bottles. The part that goes in the baby’s mouth is like a pacifier that hooks to the bottle on a long tube. This way, no one has to hold the weight of the bottle. It’s awesome. Also, the babies swallow less air with these, so if your babies have colic or gastric re-flux, they help with that too. I can’t tell you how many nights at 1 in the morning I was attempting to nurse a baby with one arm, hold the breast pump on the other side, and had the other baby in a bouncy chair and was propping a bottle for him with my foot. These fix that. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001V9KPBI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KcjKBb38QRQHE
#4–Speaking of bouncy chairs….when I had only one baby, these seemed like useless space hogs. But My twins were in their bouncy chairs so much. Bouncy chairs or swings…either is fine, but you need two! They can double as high chairs for a long time as well.
#5–I got a backpack diaper bag because I knew both hands would be busy with the babies. That was a good call. You don’t want a shoulder bag that is going to slip down your arm onto a baby or make you lopsided. You’ll be juggling too much anyway. This is the one I got, and I loved it, but there are many many options out there. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FCJB5NQ/ref=twister_B00MQNDH5E?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
A lot of twin moms recommend the JuJuBe diaper bags. They look amazing and expensive.
#6–This stroller is light weight, sturdy, and works with most car seats, so you don’t have to buy two new car seats (if you don’t want to) This thing was my work horse for many months–as long as you bring the babies into church in their car seats, you’ll be glad you have it. Baby Trend Universal Double Snap-N-Go Stroller Frame https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008U4MKU6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_o5iKBbZ9D8K2W
#7–Start making a list now of things that people can do for you. Lots of people will ask if they can help, and you’re going to be so tired and overwhelmed that you’ll go blank, and you won’t know what you can tell them to do. So make a list now of things you’re willing to let people help you with– like running a load of laundry through your washer, or sweeping your floor, or washing baby bottles, or feeding your goats etc. The thing that someone did for me that helped me the most was to come once or twice a week and take away my preschoolers for the afternoon (Banana Cream Pie was 3 and Baby Bean was 18 months old.) For those few hours I could take care of the twins or take a nap and not have to worry about what crazy messy thing Baby Bean might be getting into.
#8–I made lots of casseroles and freezer meals so that dinner would be easier after the babies were born. By 25 weeks I had 30 meals in the freezer. I didn’t make more because after that, I was in too much pain to stand for long enough to put extra meals together. (see #1) After the babies were born, we also ate a lot of dinosaur chicken nuggets, freezer pizza, taquitos, and popcorn–everyone survived just fine
You can do this, Mamma! Heavenly Father will grant you the strength and wisdom you need when you need it He is sending these beautiful babies to you because you are the perfect mommy for them. They will love you as you are.
Don’t let yourself think that you have to do things a certain way.
Every time you get frustrated, ask yourself–What is driving me crazy?
How can I make that process simpler or make it go more smoothly?
What expectations do I have that aren’t really true and I need to let go of them?
(example: “good moms do X so I have to do X also.” or If my kids are unhappy, I’m failing.”)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PC3KVYA/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B00PC3KVYA&pd_rd_w=8Juyu&pf_rd_p=8a8f3917-7900-4ce8-ad90-adf0d53c0985&pd_rd_wg=u7f2F&pf_rd_r=MEGBRY09717XZEJ270CD&pd_rd_r=3602a5a3-752a-11e9-ad11-c3d8451968d7
Marvelous Pigs in Satin 