Twinning A to Z

This brave girl had surgery last week to remove her mostly deflated infantile hemangioma on her neck. It was her first surgery, so obviously I was a total mess, but Aria did great. It’s crazy to see how brave kids can be in unfamiliar situations. I definitely expected her to be more nervous than she was. We were advised to have minimal activity for 4 weeks. I know you mamas can understand how TOUGH that really is for a 3 year old. Any suggestions for fun crafts and low-movement activities for the next 3 weeks? 😂❤️ . . . . . . #parenthood #twins #twinmom #twinmama #momoftwins #parentingtwins #discoverunder5k #discoverunder10k #preschoolcrafts #preschoolactivities #firstsurgery #hemangiomababy #hemangioma #hemangiomaawareness #hemangiomajourney

“Our sister gets her OWN birthday?” We are excited to welcome Baby Valencia number 3 in August 2021. ❤️❤️❤️ It’s been a while, Twinning family! I’ve been on a business break for a couple of months now. I’ve missed it a whole lot, but have been focusing on my mental and physical health. This pregnancy has been so challenging from the beginning. SO much more difficult early on compared to my twin pregnancy. I’ve experienced a LOT of all-day nausea, lethargy and fatigue, and a general lack of motivation paired with poor mental health. So I did what was needed for me, and allowed myself a break. In a world where social media and work is easily all-consuming, it is important for us to grant ourselves permission to take care of ourself and our family. Today I am going to care for myself and my family by making a delicious home cooked meal for dinner, and giving my twins tons of cuddles. How are you caring for yourself and your family today? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #twins #twin #twinmom #twinparent #twinsofinstagram #pregnancy #dueaugust #pregnancyannouncement #pregnant #pregnancylife #blogger #momblogger #momblog #discoverunder5k #discoverunder10k #momofgirls #momoftwins #momofthree #momlife #familyfirst

You matter. Your health matters. Your happiness matters. I have taken the past month to care more passionately for myself, and this has included a short break from some social media. The past month has been full of unexpected illness and exhaustion, and I needed to allow myself to heal. Always remember that the passion with which you care for others should be shared with caring for yourself. As mothers, we are at our best when we feel mentally and physically well. Self-care is not only a series of short-term tasks, but also an ongoing practice. I’d love to know: What are your favorite self-care tasks? . . . . . . . . . . #twinning #twins #twinsisters #parenthood #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodmoments #selfcare #selfcaretips #mentalhealth #careforyourself #discoverunder5k #discoverunder10k #blogger #motherhoodblogger #motherhoodquotes #parentingquotes #mamablogger #mamalife #twinmom #momoftwins

The past week has been a rough one- I’ve been battling with feeling ill. But these girls always make me smile. (I admit, many days they also make me want to scream, pull my hair out, lock myself in the bathroom to cry, or just sleep for days, BUT one smile or laugh like this and my mood changes) This week we are working on calming down and using our nice words to ask for what we want instead of yelling, and I am finding that they really like using their lungs instead of please and thank you. Hello terrible threes- we must have skipped terrible twos. Almost three, and they have a LOT of feelings and emotions to learn to regulate. Did you find that your littles had a bigger temper at 3 instead of 2? Or was “terrible twos” true for you? . . . . . . . . . #twinmom #twingirls #twinmommy #toddlerlife #toddlermomlife #toddlermom #terriblethrees #learnthroughplay #discoverunder5k #discoverunder10k #momblog #momblogger #parentinglife #parentingishard #parentinginapandemic #twinsofinstagram #twinsisters #momoftwins

Having toddler twins isn’t always (really hardly ever) like the pictures. Truth be told, my sweet and loving girls would prefer to play separately next to each other than together. They fight over toys and yell at each other constantly these days. Many days they only wear underwear. Today these lovely photos were successful because I told them I wanted them to wear their new dresses and sit next to each other for JUST a moment. I also bribed them with fruit snacks. I at times get jealous when I see twin moms getting amazing photos of their twins playing together. But then I remember, they may be bribing their kids too. 💁‍♀️ And if that’s not the case, that’s ok. My girls are still learning and growing, and I’m doing alright. Have you ever needed to bribe your kids to get a good photo? . . . . . . . . . #twinmom #twingirls #twinmommy #twinmomlife #twintodddlers #momlifebalance #discoverunder5k #discoverunder10k #toddlerlife #toddlersofinstagram #toddlermomlife #toddlerfashion #momsofinstagram #momblogger #momblog #girltwins #girlmom #kidsofinstagram #childrensbooks #childhoodunplugged #childrensbook #readmorebooks #readingtime #readersofig #mommydaughtertime #twins #momoftwins #momofgirls #firstwednesdayls

One of my favorite things to do is look at older photos. This one is from almost 2 years ago. As a mom, some days I just want to go back in time and relive all the small things. The small cuddles, the small giggles, the small smiles, the small toes, and the small belly kisses. I miss all of it. These days, hugs are quick unless preceded by a scrape or bump. Toes are bigger, laughs are more hearty (and mischievous), and belly kisses are fewer. What hasn’t changed much are the smiles, and I’m thankful for that. Seeing my twins smile can make me happy on my darkest days. Does anyone else get caught up in their feelings looking back at old photos? #motherhoodjourney #momlifebalance #momlifestyle #twinmom #twinmommy #twingirls #twinmomlife #twinpregnancy #twins #twinsisters #parenthood #parentinglife #blogger #momblogger #mombloggersofig #momoftwins #momofmultiples

We got another 7 inches of snow yesterday afternoon, and we are just getting around to playing in it. I am entirely too sore after pushing my husband’s car out of the ditch across the street from our house yesterday evening, as he was less than 100 yards from home and I was determined we would NOT need a tow across the street. I am reminded by my muscles how out of shape and weak I am today, after feeling like freaking Super Woman yesterday. Has a workout ever kicked your butt like this? Feeling like a million bucks, until you wake up the next day feeling like you got hit by a train? I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions, but I definitely need to focus on my body next year. Do you have a resolution or goal for 2021? #snowday #twins #twingirls #twintoddlers #toddlers #snow #snowstorm #twinmomlife #twinmom #twinsofinstagram #momlife #momoftwins #momofmultiples #socialmamaas

We took a few days off to enjoy the holiday together as a family. Right now more than ever, time with my family is the most important thing to me. Tonight we are lounging around in our pajamas watching television in my bed. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how grateful I am that over the past 7 months I have been able to spend more time at home with them. I’ve always been a career mom up until the point in May when I left the workforce. I imagine I will need to get back to work eventually, but I’m cherishing every moment until then. What about you- are you a career mom, or work at home mom? Do you love it? . . . . . . #twinmom #twingirls #twins #twinmomlife #momlife #momoftwins #wahm #sahm #sahmomlife #toddlersofinstagram #toddlermomlife #toddlerlife #multiples

Who you are today – and how you feel about yourself and your life – is pretty much determined by your daily habits. Luckily, every day you get a new chance to build up better habits - and bust those naughty ones. Karen Salmansohn is a bestselling author and expert on habit formation. In her new book, "Happy Habits", she shares 50 research-backed habits to build (or bust!) in order to become happier, healthier, less stressed, more loved, and enjoy greater success. She gives specific pointers on the very best habits to improve your life in a range of categories: mind, body, relationships, work, home, and play. Plus she gives tricks to make sure willpower sticks! Each of her strategies are backed by fascinating studies - and offer fun, accessible ways to uplift your life! She dives into the topic of organization, and that really resonates with me as a parent of multiples, and a person with a lot of “stuff”. You know the stuff; the closet full of barely-worn clothing, papers I might (but probably won’t) need in the future, the keepsakes. Give Karen’s book a read, and learn how to improve your life. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be able to connect with all of the topics she discusses. Make sure to check out Karen’s page ( @notsalmon ) and pre-order “Happy Habits” now! The link can be found in Karen’s bio. Which of the book’s topics do you think you could work on? Mine is DEFINITELY organization! #twinmomlife #twinmom #organization #organizationtips #happyhabits #momofmultiples #parenthood

This morning we did an easy family Christmas craft. 🎄 We filled clear bulbs with a bunch of festive fillers! The twins had a really great time, but did get a little frustrated when the mini-bows wouldn’t go into the bulb easily. Check our story soon for a quick how-to! What’s your favorite Holiday craft? #diy #ornaments #crafting #familycrafts #holidaycraft #christmascraft #christmasdecor #diychristmas #twins #twingirls #momoftwins #twinmom #twinsofinstagram #decembermamasl

As a parent, there is really nothing better than seeing your children smile. We are still (mostly) enjoying the snow here in Iowa, but I am already SO OVER cleaning it up. Dirty water and ice-melt get tracked inside, and it’s a pain to clean up. There’s more positive than negative about snow for me though. Snow for us means the holidays are near. What are your plans for the holidays? Any travel, or staying close to home? #twinmom #twinpregnancy #twins #twinsofinstagram #twinsisters #snow #snowday #parenting #momoftwins #multiples #toddler #toddlers #blogger #giftofmamas

❄️🌨☃️ We got several inches of snow overnight here in Iowa, and it’s still snowing. We got all bundled up and went to play in it. The girls had an absolute blast. I told Aria to laugh for the camera, and she really went for it. Does it snow where you live? #twins #twinmom #twinpregnancy #twintoddlers #toddlers #toddler #snow #snowday #momoftwins #twinsofinstagram #scialmamas