'Preschool Prep Company Presents!'

Alright, last summer I begged the 'Universe' for portable DVD players to use on extended road trips.  I promised only to show educational DVD's and I kept 80% of my bargain (Belle just HAD to meet Belle from Beauty & The Beast).

For the most part, the twins alternate between two DVDs teaching them the alphabet and numbers.  These DVDs are a series from the Preschool Prep Company.  I found them at a local Learning Express Toys store and chose them because their covers displayed about twenty different awards (possibly all made up, but impressive to look at).

If you've been fortunate enough to ride in our party-mobile then you've possibly experienced the joy and wonder of these DVDs.  They gained such glowing reviews like (NOTE:  excessive exclamation points used to convey the intensity of emotions felt):

'This is about as exciting as watching grass grow!!!'

'How do you listen to this over and over again!?!"

'I don't like the repetition.  It's REALLY annoying!!!'

'Do you have anything more stimulating for them to watch!?!'

'I'll ride home in the other car . . . '

Well 'Haters', I'd like to inform you that my 18 month old children can now recognize and say their letters and numbers.  I have no idea what this actually means, as I've no clue how to teach them to apply this information usefully.  So, we'll just sit patiently on this little gem until someone explains the next step . . .

Dear Universe, Please Buy Me . . .

. . . a portable DVD player with dual screens.  If you don't feel like a part of 'the Universe', but want to help in some small way . . . click on these blog ads every time you visit my site.  I, nay we (my babies will directly benefit), get paid each time you click on the ad even if you do nothing afterwards.

Last week Aunt Quinn & I spent five hours in the car crossing my home state, and another six hours on the way back, in an effort to spend some much needed quality time with my Grandma (visiting my Oma will require crossing an ocean . . . maybe I should ask the Universe for a private jet instead because we miss our Oma dearly).

Yes, I am aware the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly discourages TV watching before the age of two.  Out of curiosity, has this Academy tried taking an extended car ride with 12 month-old twins in the last two weeks?   I'm a firm believer there is always an exception to the rule and my exception is this:

Dear Universe,

If you buy me a portable DVD player (Sam's Club has the Phillips 9" dual screens on sale for $177) I promise to only use it for out of town trips.  I also promise to never show Barney, Barbie Princess crap or anything with a sock monkey in it.

Sincerely yours,

World's Best Mommy 

In other news, our trip to Grandma's was wonderful!  She fed the babies Krispy Kreme donuts every morning securing her status as favorite-person-in-the-house.  The twins also enjoyed creating a new game:  See How Fast Grandma Moves When We Try To Touch . . .

Finally, I was raised to believe a wonderful house guest is one who leaves no trace of their visit.  Unfortunately, with two snotty noses, one drool bucket and table manners my dogs would disown, it's safe to say we left a large blinding sign that read:  'Finn & Belle Wuz Here:  On the carpet, the counters, the dining chairs, the kitchen floor, the bathtub and most of the upholstered furniture'.

Hopefully we're invited back sometime, we promise to work on our table manners before then.

Grandma with Finn, Belle & Scout (Finn's new BFF)

Let The Countdown Begin!

That's right folks, in exactly one week my little babies will officially become toddlers.  Some amazing things have happened in the last two weeks.  Mirabelle started throwing full-on tantrums, complete with falling to the ground and flaying like a fish out of water (really Lady Belle, I'm on to you and hate to disappoint but I've got 30+ years experience in this department).

We had a lovely visit by 'Aunt G' early last week.  The cousins all went down to Carolina Beach and played in the water for the afternoon.  It was the first time the babies were taken out past the breaking waves and into the Atlantic.  It's safe to say they LOVED IT.  For some reason Mirabelle thought she already knew how to swim and tried numerous times to jump from 'Aunt G's arms into the water (who knows, maybe she already knows how to swim . . .).

Later in the week we packed up the family and flew to Rhode Island to attend cousin Alex's graduation.  These were the first flights for our squirmy bundles.  Everyone and every thing made it safe and sound.  We did lose a locking mechanism on one of our car seats during the trip (surely it's not that important to the overall safety of the car seat).

While in Rhode Island we celebrated Dave's first Father's Day with a 3 lb. lobster and a trip to an Irish pub in Newport.  Then we made a very important trek to Block Island.  Not only is it the smallest town in the smallest state but it's also the place where Dave proposed to me almost 10 years ago (sigh).

Maybe it's divine intervention or just shear luck, but June has sailed through here faster than   Octomom's fifteen minutes of fame.  I'm truly grateful, really.  I've no time to sit and ponder the magnitude of my sweet babies finally turning the big O-N-E (which most likely would have resulted in some form of an emotional catastrophe).  Instead, I've only seven short days to begin hyperventilating and irrationally unplugging every clock within reach.

I'll try and redirect this anxiety into something productive like planning the most memorable birthday bash the twins are sure to forget.