Bamboo

CHAGGA-CHAGGA-CHOO- GOTTA GET BAMBOO ( a song from Diego)

Hooray..Nicolas was chosen this past week at school to take home "Bamboo", the class mascot panda, home for 5 days. Nicolas had to bring Bamboo on all the adventures for the weekend and journal about it in "Bamboo's" book. Then the journal entries are read to the class. Now..this is a BIG thing to get Bamboo but I was not expecting it this week! My first thought: "Shit I am away all weekend on a girls trip to Houston". My second thought.."Shit the fighting over Bamboo between the boys". The teacher said Nicolas jumped up so excited and then Christian jumped up with a twinkle in his eye as he ran immediately to teacher and said "Nicolas has to share him right? Nicolas has to share right"? She explained 1 child gets Bamboo each weekend, for special one-on-one with Bamboo and this is Nicolas's weekend. Another example of a "Singleton" activity in a "Twin World"!

Oh lord! The whole way home I heard fighting non-stop about Bamboo and that Nicolas had to share. Those first 5 hours were TERRIBLE. Plus, when I looked at Bamboo's journal, it was a professional scrapbook with 3-4 tier framed photos from the previous creative moms. I called my sister and said " Well, we got Bamboo and guess what, we are going to have 2 photo's this weekend : 1.) Nicolas and Christian fighting over Bamboo and 2.) A photo of Bamboo on the refrigerator for the weekend (to stop the fighting). Plus, I intend to lower the standards on this scrapbook journal for all future BUSY moms. Yeah right, after a weekend away from the boys, I was driven into madness to create the best damn Bamboo pages ever!

The first day with Bamboo was rough, in fact I had a nickname for Bamboo - "BASTARD BAMBOO". Within that first hour at home, Bamboo almost lost an arm and leg when Christian took it and flung him across the room, poor Bamboo hitting the wall. But after explaining for 5 hours that this was Nicolas's special time with Bamboo and that Christian would get a turn the novelty wore off. It turned out to be a cool experience other than it took me 3 hours to do the damn scrapbook (which I secretly enjoyed), I am extremely creative so I needed this to SHINE! I laugh now at the vision of Ken coming upstairs, seeing me in a flurry of cutting, taping, gluing photos..it was piled up ALL OVER my desk! Now remember, you have to get the photos developed the last day so all the pages get created in the journal on the last day. At 10 o'clock pm, I called it quits. I actually told one of the mom's from the boys class today " Hey..if Jack gets pick can you lower the barr down so when Christian gets pick I don't have to go all fancy again"! But of course I will, it is my son and he only deserves the best as well! The director of their school commented to me it looked awesome when I picked up the kids (probably because I added a educational twist to most of the photos and she probably thought..."Poor Jody, she has to do this twice"). LOL! All-in-all this is a wonderful activity for the kids and it created cherished memories for Nicolas and Bamboo! Here are a few of Bamboo's great adventure at the "House of Hughes"!

First Day Home, Bamboo getting snuggled

Nicolas calling Daddy to tell him HE got Bamboo and Christian will not stop taking him.

Bamboo upstairs for a nap with Nicolas (how many germs do you think are on Bamboo)?

Had to feed hungry Bamboo- hey bears get hungry too!

Showing Bamboo the neighborhood (that is Bamboo's little bag)Bamboo on a Trolley RideBamboo at the aquarium where the most famous dolphin "Winter" is..I can say that because the story of Winter has been on the Today Show and news with the new movie about him.It wouldn't be complete without Bamboo seeing some sort of machinery!

Mayday...Mayday...

Mayday....Mayday.....

What do you do when your kids love to float face down in the water without sending shear panic in the pool? Both Nicolas and Christian like going into the deep end of the pool, relax and float but FACEDOWN, holding their breath. At first, I freaked out but then my girlfriend who was a swim instructor said they will pull up their heads when they are done....sure enough they do. BUT it still sends panic to all the parents when they see a kid just floating.
Yesterday, a mom started running towards Nicolas and I said calmly.."He's fine, he just likes to float". She looked at me like I was a nutcase (as I would too if I didn't know) and then I found myself saying to the boys loudly in front of her.."Guys, you have to stop doing that, your freaking out all the parents".

OUCH..that pavement is hot!Give Mama-Cita a kiss!

Tag - Mommy's It!

Today, we ventured to a new "elderly' resort because they have a nice kiddie pool with the zero entry walk in, water sprayers and it only goes to 1 feet of water. It was the best laid plan! Noone was there in the kiddie area and we had it all to ourselves -PERFECT!

On a side note: I try to walk the boys into most places holding my hands so I don't have to schlep in the stroller. Disadvantage- leaving can sometimes be hard to "herd" them out.

We loved it and I got to relax in the sun and have fun. Then it was time to go.. Tag- - game on! They started rolling around, laughing in the water so I couldn't pick them up at the same time. As I got one seated on a chair, I had to sprint, bend over and get the other - however..the one on the chair took off back in the water...vice versa non stop (including grabbing things from my bag and tossing it in the water)!


When I looked up, I saw a group of 5 adults in the resort section laughing hysterically at me (as they were lounging in the adult pool having their cocktails). For a second I thought.."Could ya help a mama out?" but I knew how funny this must look so I started to laugh with everyone. I just hope they didn't have a phone camera and it end up on Utube. Finally, one sat on the chair for a minute while I grabbed the other. Life was good again....I got them dried off, dressed, walking hand in hand then my bag dropped. As I went to bent over to pick it up...Christian took the opportunity and ran straight into the water with his dry clothes and shoes!!

Tag...Mommy's It again! Thankfully, Nicolas stayed put so I could get Christian and out we went. After they realized it was over, they smiled at me and said "so fun mommy - thanks"! What???? At that point I really couldn't stop laughing. Even after the insanity, I realized thank god I have this time with them and would do that all over again to see those smiles.

This was truly a twin moment!

The Best Things About Having Twins!

My little buddies turned two last week. This birthday was very emotional for me to see them turn two because they are growing so fast and I actually got to enjoy this year - where the first year was a complete whirl wind haze. I have been so emotional about it this year and hence the reason I haven't put any photos up yet on their 2nd birthday because every time I open the photo folder I get so emotional. I promise- they are coming up soon, as well as Nicolas's first trip to Boston and Easter! I am in the mood today to just write all the great things about having twins.

Do I have to say much more than this photo in itself!

Look at that true love.

• You get double the love on everything. When they wake up in the morning, I have two boys running to be to give me a great big hug.


• We get double the kisses good night.




• You always feel like a rock star when you go out, not only did you accomplish the task but people love to acknowledge the boys and engage in conversation. Everyone talks to them which they love! I used to hate that when they were first born, but now I love it!


• We are part of an amazing twin community that you feel so connected to as they share all the special things that come with having two children at the same age. Support, advice and lots of friends. Last week we had "joint party" with some of my mom friend who have twins and there were 5 moms/10 kids. Four of us had the boys and girls in the same week- at the same hospital! Being in a household of 10 kids laughing, eating and playing together and sharing it with amazing mothers, made me really appreciate and love my life.


• I get to do everything twice but at the same time. Meaning ,that I don't have that age gap- of trying to balance two different developmental stages/ages. When one of my kids go to bed; the other does ; when one baths,the other does...etc.... I just do one thing more at the same time. Everyone always says to me: having twins must be really hard and sometimes I agree with them but then other times I think- not really I only have to do the hard parts once and I get two children now!

I get so much more exercise then I used to and I don't have to worry about what I eat anymore - ever since they started walking- the work out REALLY began.They have an instant friend in each other and enjoy (usually) playing and being together which would warm any parents heart. Especially when I think of the first time that they will go to school - they will have each other.

• You get to see those awesome moments of them hugging and holding hands at the same age.
• Everyone is so extra supportive of you and your family because you have twins ( maybe because they feel bad for me with the challenges and craziness or maybe just because it is so fun to be around two kids in the same developmental age).


• You sleep like a hibernating bear at night!

Babies truly are a miracle of god and to be blessed with two at once and to be able to make it carrying two in pregnancy, birth and raising them.....wow does it make you feel confident and feel deep inside you can handle the hard things that life sometimes throws at you. Even though I am the biggest complainer in the world, I truly believe in the old saying : " God will only give you what you can handle - I am glad he trusted me with two at once- yet sometimes I do feel like - "Why do you trust me so much and I wish you didn't think I could handle so much (not meaning the boys but meaning the challenges like potty training)!!!! I think the original quote comes from Mother Theresa.

Anyways, since I have been emotional (in a happy sense) I had to write that- but don't get me wrong, you have all read my insanity blogs that come with twins! I just wanted to finally write some of the fabulous things!! Here are a few photos of the best things about twins! You get two of these little angels :

Thomas The Train Day!

Thomas...Thomas...Thomas! The boys love Thomas the Train and what a better day than to go to " Thomas the Train Day" and ride him! The boys thought it was great, even in the pooring rain! Christen getting his ticket stamped.. what a big boy.We went with one of my good friends ( Deseray) that also has twins ( Cayden and Chase). The boys are only 8 days apart! Boys Riding The Little Train

Hay Ride on wet hay!We were soaked as the event was " Rain or Shine"