TWO!

Well, we got here.  We survived.  Two years into this twins thing.  And I'm gonna be honest - it was hard.  Really hard.

The other day they woke up and DID NOT INSIST on snuggling me for 30 minutes first thing...  They just walked right by me and started reading together!

I feel like we're just starting to get into an easier stage - one where they don't dash for the street the moment we go out the door to get in the car.  And I can *mostly* count on them not to be sticking non-food items in their mouths.  They are REALLY good climbers, to the point where they don't really fall anymore, so I can send them outside with the big kids and let them have fun on the swing set without constant spotting.  And they mostly don't dump cups of water all over the floor if somebody leaves one unattended.

Sometimes I can just sit there watching them play and it's SO adorable.  I get the obsession with twins, finally - the way they play together is just. so. cute. Until they start fighting, which is still frequent.  But lately they've been getting along better, I think in no small part due to their long naptime conversations before they both fall asleep (Yes, I think we've pushed past the nap strike!  And while I've still been hearing, "LIZABETH!  WAKE UUUUUP!" 30 minutes into nap, Mary Claire's been falling asleep too and NOT climbing out of her crib and it's wonderful!).

So!  In honor of their second birthday, and because it happens to fall on a Friday, here are 7 quick (well, not so quick...) facts about each twin:

Elizabeth (Baby A)

1.  Wicked bedhead (see above picture).  I don't even understand HOW, because she has, by far, the least hair of any child we've ever had.  I'm pretty sure she just rubs her head back and forth for a while before she falls asleep every night, because that's the only way I can explain the nest.



2.  Has VERY strong opinions on everything.  She has to be the one to choose clothes first in the morning, and choose pajamas first at night.  She's obsessed with pink, and usually wants to be wearing as much pink as possible.  She HAS to be in charge of who gets what book or which stuffed animal during naptime.  Basically she's a tyrant, but she's tiny and adorable so it's hard to resist!



3.  Loves Duplos.  LOVES them.  Mostly the pink ones - yesterday she brought me two pink creations she had made that happened to have eyes and told me, "Dere are many different types of pigs!"

4.  Does NOT like physical contact if it's not her idea.  John Paul and Cecilia try SO hard to wrestle her and hug her but she freaks the heck out if they don't ask first, or if they ask and she says no.

5.  The angry face.  Gets me every time.

6.  The fake smile, too!

7.  Talks about going to Mass ALL the time, and how "We whisper at Mass!"  Want to know how many times she's whispered?  Ha.  She likes to try to make us all laugh during grace every meal by shouting random things and trying to sing the ABC's.  So basically, REALLY going to heaven ;)

Mary Claire (Baby B)

1. Close to overcoming her unfortunate hair style - we might be able to turn it into a bob soon!

2.  Thankfully doesn't argue when Elizabeth throws her fits about needing to have the pink cup or the pink plate or the pink bowl or...  Well, everything.  Doesn't particularly care about what she wears or what color anything she gets - thank GOODNESS!

3.  Any animal toy is her favorite - she carries them around the house and lines them up in the play kitchen as her "animal rescue center" (we just got a Dora & Diego book from the library and they're OBSESSED).  The animals are also frequently cooked, served to various stuffed animals, and used as medicine.  A little confused?  Perhaps...

4.  Gave in LONG ago to the frequent hugging and tackling and carrying by the older siblings.  John Paul says that "When Mary Claire grows up, she'll be a world-famous wrestler." The big kids are VERY thankful that SOMEBODY will wrestle with them!

5. Sings a lot, and sings REALLY well.  Like, completely tuneful with a range of more than an octave, which is not common for a kid this young, and not something Elizabeth has accomplished!  Her whiny little voice is so very adorable and I love hearing her sing, since she's got a constant song in her head :)

6. Would be outside all day, every day if we let her.  It's the greatest tragedy of her life that it's getting too cold for me to let her outside barefoot with almost no clothing on.

7.  Getting saucier - she's been mimicking John Paul and Cecilia with their demands and inflections, and hearing a 2-year-old in her high-pitched voice yelling, "GIVE me back my colored pencil!!!" is so hilarious it's hard to correct her for not speaking in a nice voice.  Because SO much talking.

Need more?  Here's their first birthday post, their birth story, and a whole bunch of other general twin links if you want to go clicking down the rabbit hole of the internet!

Linking up (early) with Conversion Diary because, well, I have this written and I kind of love early quick takes posts when other people write them, so here's your Thursday night gift from me!

Just kidding, Kelly's hosting the link up this week! This is what happens when I try to get things done early ;)