The Kindness of Strangers

I have always been a big believer in kindness.  I think it's important to be kind.  I want to teach Archer and Lyla to show kindness to others.  Seeing examples of kindness restores my faith in humanity.

Living in the Midwest, I see that kindness is a value that most people around here share.  I find most people hold open doors for each other and return my smiles.  But ever since becoming a mom of twins, I have been baffled by the amount of kindness strangers offer up to me on a daily basis.  I can't tell you how many times people have held doors open for me when I'm trying to get the double stroller through a doorway.  I also drop an amazing amount of items (baby socks, pacifiers, burp rags, toys, baby shoes...) and I can always count of some kind stranger to pick it up for me when I don't notice.  People help me carry high chairs to tables in restaurants when they see me struggling to hold both a baby and a high chair.  People are just kind and it just warms my heart every time kindness is shared with me.

Some people go above and beyond to help me out.  And I don't even have to ask for help.  They just offer it up.  I'm sure I generally look a bit frazzled and maybe that's why people are so quick to offer a helping hand.

Take a trip to the splash park, for example.  My fellow mom friend (Hey, Emily!) and I decided to meet up at a local splash park.  I had taken the babies to a splash park with the help of my mom before, but I had never gone on my own.  After giving myself a pep talk and taking a ridiculous amount of time putting on swim diapers and swim suits and sunscreen, we arrived at the park.  I decided to put Lyla in the Ergobaby carrier and wear her while just holding Archer on my hip to make it from the car to the splash park.  Once we got to the splash park, I took Lyla out of the carrier and set her down by a little water fountain and let Archer walk around.  I tried my best to keep Lyla from crawling on the concrete so she didn't scrape up her knees and keep Archer from falling down so he wouldn't crack his head open.  It was a workout, let me tell you!  Archer kept wanting to wander off on his own, so I would try to follow him.  But I had to keep my eye on Lyla at the same time.  I would let Archer walk a ways, then carry him back to Lyla.  Lyla would try to crawl away, so I would grab her and try to get her to sit back down.  Then run after Archer...and so on and so forth.  My friend had her own two girls to look after.  Needless to say, we didn't get much time to chat.

After about 10 minutes, which felt more like 2 hours, we decided to go to the playground part of the park.  I figured I would put Archer and Lyla in the baby swings, so I just grabbed one baby under each arm.  When we got to the playground, of course the baby swings were in use.  I decided I couldn't just stand there holding my heavy babies, so I figured I would put Lyla back in the Ergobaby carrier and wear her.  That way I could just follow Archer around.  So I put both babies down in the wood chips that covered the playground so I could get the carrier situated.  Of course both Archer and Lyla decided they wanted to put all the wood chips in their mouth.  I would pull a wood chip out of one of their mouths, then try to get the carrier strapped on.  They were so stinking fast and persistent about eating those wood chips that I couldn't get the carrier on!  Some nice grandma saw me struggling and said, "Do you want me to hold one of your babies while you get that on?"  After sizing her up and deciding I could take her if she was actually a child abductor, I said, "Yes, please!"  So she held Archer, who was now soaking wet and covered in wood chips, while I got the carrier on and Lyla in place.  She told me I was brave for taking both babies to the park by myself.  I was thinking it was stupid of me by this point.  But her kind offer of help and her kind words were exactly what I needed at that moment.  It really meant a lot to me and I will forever remember that lady.

Another example of kindness from a stranger happened just the other day at the grocery store.  I go to Aldi to grocery shop because they have carts with two seats so both babies can ride in them.  But you have to put a quarter in the cart in order to use them.  I haven't quite figured out the best order in which to do things in to get from the car to the store.  Do I leave the babies in the car, get a cart, and then come back to the car?  (I feel like if I do that I risk someone calling child services on me.)  Or do I carry both babies from the car, somehow get a quarter into the cart without dropping one of the babies (or the diaper bag or the grocery bags), and then put the babies in the cart?

This last time I went to Aldi, I decided I would carry both babies to the carts.  So I managed to get the diaper bag (which is a backpack, even though I swore I would never be one of those moms) and the reuseable grocery bags (so the planet is still around when Archer and Lyla are grown ups) and both babies and a quarter in my hand (without one of the babies eating it).  We made our way to the carts and I started trying to get my quarter in the little slot without dropping a baby.  That's when some nice lady came up to me and said, "Let me help you."  She took my quarter and got me a cart.  Of course the cart didn't have both safety belts intact.  But that didn't end her kindness.  That sweet lady rearranged three different carts before we found one with both safety belts.  

These seemingly small acts of kindness certainly weren't small to me.  They made my life way easier!  So to honor the kindness that has been shown to me, I try to show others kindness.  My grandma (Hey, Mama!) has told me since I was a kid that she tries to do one good deed a day.  That has always stuck with me and I plan to pass it along to Archer and Lyla.  You never know when a good deed or small act of kindness can truly help someone out.  

Archer & Lyla's Jungle-Themed First Birthday Party

When I dreamed about becoming a parent, one of the things I imagined would be truly exciting would be planning my kids' birthday parties.  The thought of creating a day to celebrate my kids just sounded like pure fun.  So I was thrilled to be able to plan Archer and Lyla's first birthday party! 

I can see how some people go completely overboard when it comes to kids' birthday parties.  There are so many cute ideas out there and you can get wrapped up in creating a special day.  But I was able to rationalize that Lyla and Archer won't remember this day.  So while I definitely could have scaled back, I don't think I went too crazy.  

I decided on a jungle theme since Archer and Lyla enjoy animals.  They love to read books featuring animals.  So I set about coming up with a cute invitation, a few decorations, and food ideas.  

The guest list was small and included family and friends who Archer and Lyla knew and were comfortable around.  The day was already going to be a departure from their normal routine, so I didn't want to bombard them with a lot of people they weren't familiar with.  I planned the party to start right after their morning nap and end right before their afternoon nap.  That definitely helped them be at their happiest.  We included lunch, too.  

I whipped up some invitations using Google Drawings and then printed them at home on some cardstock.  It was an inexpensive route and got all the information to our guests.

For the decorations, I used some balloons that my mom and I found on clearance at Party City.  I also got a small hand pump to help blow up all the balloons.  (Shout out to my parents and brother for helping blow up all the balloons!)  They were green and fit the jungle theme.  I hung some big ones on the front porch and then used balloon tape to create a garland in the dining room above the babies' high chairs.   

I made a cute little photo banner that showcased all of Archer and Lyla's monthly photos.  I hung it across the fireplace mantel and it was so fun to see their progression.  It's amazing to see how much they grow from month to month!    

I also cut out the number one and painted it with some craft paint I had laying around.  My intention was to take some pictures of Archer and Lyla with it and begin a yearly photo tradition.  But I forgot.  Oops.  Maybe we'll start that tradition next year.  

We ordered pizza for lunch to make things simple.  I didn't want Adam or I having to prepare anything as guests were arriving, so we opted for the easy route.  I did cut up some fruit and made a cute lion veggie tray ahead of time.  (Shout out to my brother for slicing up all those peppers!)  And I set out some animal crackers, too.  

I ordered some cupcakes topped with cookies from Beautifully Delicious.  They turned out so incredibly cute and tasted delicious!  If any local Kansas City folks need any cute cookies, I highly recommend Katie at Beautifully Delicious!     

I did make a batch of dairy-free (for Lyla), gluten-free (for my uncle) cupcakes too.  They certainly weren't cute, but Lyla didn't seem to mind.  She gobbled up her cupcake in mere seconds!   

Archer enjoyed his cupcake too!  We hadn't given the babies any sugar, aside from a few licks of a popsicle.  So they were all about the sugar!    

I didn't plan any activities, but everyone was content to watch Lyla and Archer and just visit.  It was the perfect first birthday party!  Everyone had fun and we got to spoil Archer and Lyla!  

One Year!

Wow!  Lyla and Archer's first year sure did come and go rather quickly!  It's almost as if I blinked and now they are almost toddlers! 

They are both getting to be so old!  They babble and stare so intently at me as they do.  It seems like we are having conversations all day long.  You can tell they are truly trying to be heard.  They can both tell us that a cow says "Mmmmmm."  They can both say "Momma," "Dada," "Jazzy," and "Nana."  They both know that "Night, night," means it's time for a nap or bedtime and can say "Ni, ni." 

They are both continuing to get around very quickly!  Archer is doing more walking and probably spends more time walking than crawling these days.  Lyla is still content to crawl or cruise around furniture.  They can both crawl up and down the stairs with ease.  Lyla is so funny when she gets ready to go down the stairs.  She turns around and starts backing up by scooting on her stomach a good 3 or 4 feet before the stairs.  Sometimes she gets hung up on the wall or even ends up in the laundry room! 

They love to eat and enjoy all types of food!  They aren't crazy about bell peppers and Archer isn't a big fan of hard-boiled eggs.  But other than that, they are pretty easy to please in the food department.  They've mastered sippy cups, though Archer sometimes forgets to swallow all the water in his mouth and just lets is pool out the side.  The front of his shirts are always wet these days! 

Lyla has developed a deep love for Elmo and can even say "Elmo."  She also loves dolls and has a special fondness for a weird looking Cabbage Patch/ladybug combo of a doll.  She gives them lots of kisses all day long.  She also loves to give me kisses.  Though recently some of her kisses have ended in bites.  I am now a bit leery when she comes at me with a kiss.  She also has a passion for reading books.  9 times out of 10, she heads for the basket of books in her room when she makes it upstairs.  She is also doing more reading these days than chewing on the corners of her books. 

She also adores looking at photographs, especially ones of people she knows.  She constantly wants to be held up so she can look at the photographs in the hallway, on the fireplace mantel, and on the fridge.  She points and talks about each photo.  As cute as she looks in pictures with her bows on, she hates to wear them.  She rips them out of her hair immediately.  So we are in a constant hair bow battle that she usually wins.  Lyla learned her first body part, her tongue.  So I can ask her where her tongue is and she'll stick it out.  When I get her out of her crib after a nap or in the morning, she sticks her tongue out at me when I walk in and then I stick my tongue out at her and we both laugh and laugh.  It's our thing.
   

Lyla is such a sweetheart, but is also incredibly strong-willed and independent.  She likes things her way and can be stubborn when she doesn't get what she wants.  She has quite the high-pitched screams that literally leave my ears ringing.  She's lucky she's so cute.  

Archer is enjoying the freedom that walking brings.  He toddles around like a little, drunk man.  He's pretty steady on his feet and does a good job of falling on his hands when he feels unsteady.  He knows to step over the lip on the gate and still crawls down the stairs.  I am very scared for the day when he feels brave enough to walk down the stairs!  

He still loves his Momma and likes to be held.  He gives me tons of kisses each day and loves to give me hugs.  And he still gets very upset when I leave the room.  So I have to do a lot of sneaking out when I need to go to the bathroom or fold some laundry.  He also loves to play with his wooden blocks.  He's getting better at stacking them on top of one another and still loves to bang them together. 

     

Archer got his first haircut this month!  His bangs were getting into his eyes, so I trimmed them while Adam distracted him with food.  I definitely don't have a future as a hairdresser, but if you sweep his bangs to the side he looks pretty darn handsome!  

I still feel so incredibly lucky I get to be Archer and Lyla's mom.  I still find myself crying happy tears at least once a day at the sheer joy of getting to do this job.  I know this is the best thing I will ever do in my life and I am soaking up every second of it!