Yes I'm A Slacker

So I've been slacking at updating mainly because my laptop still hasn't been returned to me. And I feel bad using this laptop in case my host parents want to get on it.

But let me just fill you in on the past few weeks.

My second week here, both of my host parents actually had off from work but were not home all the time. And the other Nanny actually stayed on for the first two days that week (sort of).

Friday the 5th, I started the day off by myself with the boys and there didn't seem to be much of a change in routine. We had pancakes and sausage (their favorite meal) for breakfast and started off our day in good moods. We went about our morning routine of getting washed up, teeth brushed and changed into clothes. We then went to a park up the street for a bit. The boys seemed to be adjusting well to me being with them and it just seemed ordinary. The other nanny showed up around lunchtime and we both kind of worked from there... hanging out with the boys and then went to another park down the street from us and hung out there.

While we were drawing with chalk on the playground sidewalks, my host mother showed up surprisingly with her brother and relieved us for the weekend as she had to take the boys to a doctor appt.

I was happy with that first week.

The following week I was a little more nervous because I knew that this might be the telltale week. However with my host parents both off for the week and in and out of the house, it wasn't a normal week. The boys and I did fine on our own and things were quite a transition with getting to learn their likes and dislikes. They started letting me cook different foods (I hated all the frozen stuff they were eating beforehand) such as french toast, homemade pancakes, Ramen Noodles (packaged I know-- but diff than normal foods they eat). It's been fun to be with them and just see how they react to different things. I met a lot of their family the first week and mainly we just spent time getting to know each other. We did family outings such as going to the Central Park Zoo, going to Adventureland, going out to eat, going to the beach! It's been a lot of fun!

We've done some cool activities such as leaf paint prints, going to the parks, going to Barnes and Nobles for reading, going to the library, taking walks, making origami paper frogs and fortune tellers, making nice pictures for mommy and daddy, making/decorating cupcakes. It's always fun because the boys get so excited and are so proud to show off their work. I have lots of activites planned over the next few months as the seasons change (have to love my years of elementary education study for all the activities we are going to do!!)

I did create an incentive chart/calendar. Each week each boy needs to earn a smiley face at least 4 out of 5 days of the week and in return, I will buy them an ice cream treat on Friday. To determine whether or not they get a smiley face depends on where their names lands. I use the Red Light, Green Light Behavior meter... which is just construction paper with three circles like on a stop light. Green is good/go. Yellow is a warning and can go back to green after good behavior. However after two stops at yellow, the name is moved to Red where it stays for the day. If their name lands on red, they do not get a smiley face and therefore may or may not hinder their chance of ice cream on Friday afternoon. So far it's working wonders. You will see the picture of the incentive chart/calendar and also the Light system on my photo albums. As you may tell, today only one smiley face made it onto the calendar.

For those of you that I know personally, I will send you a link to the pictures I have been taking as the weeks go on. Just shoot me an email if you want the link: ursharpiegurl85@yahoo.com

Sorry it's not more detailed... it's just hard to be detailed when I don't have each day's memory in my head at the moment. I will try to get better at this.

Let the Good Times Roll

Sorry for the lapse in updates. I am still adjusting to this new home and new situation and without a laptop for a week or two.

Well, with the help of my friend Angel and her SUV, I was able to move in on Monday. Getting into the apartment I was a little overwhelmed trying to figure out how I was ever going to put everything in its place but as you can see from the pictures I managed it. My bedroom definitely shows my personality and lifestyle with all the pictures and such. The little living room and kitchenette are set up to my liking. The bathroom is perfect for a one person apartment. All in all, it's my own little home now and I love it.

Once I was all settled in I went upstairs where the current nanny was playing with the kids. Apparently the twins were asking all day when I was going to be there and the nanny was reinforcing their memory of my name. At first, I did tell them they could call me "Dee" as it is a nickname but they quickly grasped onto "Donna." We spent the evening playing with superhero figurines and cars. It was fun. It was clear to see how attached the twins are to their current nanny but I could also tell they would eventually open up to me. Soon after dinner, their mother got home and just told us to relax and go finish whatever needed to be done in the apt. The afternoon was very uneventful but loads of fun. The boys are so adorable and sweet in their own ways. Twin1 is very funny and likes to joke around. Twin2 is funny as well but takes things personally and shows it. By the end of the evening I had learned the tricks to telling them apart (very tiny differences but once I got them I could distinguish one from the other).

After my long day of moving, I was pretty exhausted and just a bit homesick. I missed my cousin and her family and it just felt a little weird. However, I was asleep by 10:30pm which is early for me. And my goodness, it was so nice to sleep in a queen-sized bed (MY 1ST BED THAT WASNT TWIN-SIZED!)

Tuesday morning, I woke up at 6am and was a little confused as to where I was at first. It was kind of an "Oh yea... Duh!" moment.... Haha. So I got up, showered and dressed and waited for the other nanny to get here.

Once she did, we went upstairs, got breakfast (half a waffle, a mini pancake, and grapes) ready for the kids and then waited for them to make their way downstairs. Twin2 got up first and was a little shy first thing. We sat with him at the table as he ate and then we went into their playroom and played with superheroes and cars again. About an hour later, Twin1 got up and came downstairs. I sat with him during his breakfast making chit-chat with him.

Afterwards, we got the boys dressed and their teeth brushed. We played cars and figurine games for a while before we ate a quick lunch (chicken noodle soup). Then we headed to one of the nearby parks in the area where we played tag, pushed the kids on the swings and collected acorns.

The most fascinating part of the afternoon was watching the way the twins interacted with the other children in the park. While the twins are very close, their personalities are so different. Twin2 loves to have fun and will join in but Twin1 is the one that gets things going and will make up rules to their games and decide what they are doing. It's so cute! Twin1 doesn't mind being "It" in tag but Twin2 thinks it's like a punishment!

So after almost 4 hours at the park we headed home. As we were leaving the park, Twin1 must have trusted me enough to grab and hold my hand. It was so cute. I think that was the moment I truly knew that everything was going to be okay. (Yes... That's my "Aaawww" moment).

Once home, we got the boys washed up and we watched some tv. We played with the couch pillows for a bit and then settled down. Twin1 leaned a pillow up against me and then leaned against me (yes.. Another aw moment) and just stayed that way. HDaddy came home and saw this and smiled saying "Getting along just fine, I see." I laughed and said "With this one, yea... Still have to work on the other one."

We then got the boys dinner (green beans, chicken nuggets for 1, meatballs for 2, and french fries). Then we went back to playing for a bit til HMommy got home. She came in to see how everything was and we nannies then left. It was a pretty good first day. :-)

Once again, I went to bed early, by 10pm but decided I can sleep til 7am and still be up, showered, dressed and ready by 7:30am. (YEA!!!)

The other nanny was there and we went upstairs. We got breakfast ready and then waited for the boys to wake up. This time, Twin1 got up first and the morning played out the same as the day before. Twin2 got up eventually and ate his breakfast.

We got the boys dressed and cleaned up (yes Twin1 let me help him brush his teeth!) We all played together for a while (yes... It was superheroes and cars again!)

Then the twins had to go to their last session of speech therapy (they have trouble with L and Y words and a few other minor speech points). Twin1 held my hand again!!! While Twin2 was in session, I read a story to Twin1 (The Elves and the Shoemaker). It was fun.

After speech we headed to yet another park where I played tag a lot with the boys. Eventually other kids showed up ands they played. Every once in a while the twins would go take a bite of their Lunchables and then go back to playing. On the car ride home, both twins were cracking up at the funny faces I was making and hiding before the other nanny would see. It became a fun game!

We had a great time and once again went home to tv/couch/pillow time. It was nice to be inside out of the scorching heat.

Dinner was leftover pizza that the nanny had frozen and just reheated in the oven. The boys tries a bite of my beanless chili and Twin1 liked it whereas Twin2 didn't. I liked the idea of them trying new foods. All the foods they eat are frozen or canned and that annoys me so much.

After dinner and cleanup we went down to the apt where we have toys, puzzles and games in a closet. We did car puzzles, played a Memory Card game and then played a Go Fishing Game. It was fun.

So all in all, it's been great so far and while Twin1 accepts me, I can tell Twin2 is getting there.

Tomorrow and Friday will be the final tests. Tomorrow the other nanny is leaving in the afternoon so I will be on my own with the kids. Then on Friday, she will not be there in the morning but will come in the afternoon. That will work good though because I plan on having the boys help me make and decorate either brownies or cupcakes for her as a goodbye treat.

I will try and keep this updated. Please be patient with me. Sorry if this is kind of boring right now. Hopefully once in the swing of things, I can start doing projects with the boys and post pictures.

Also, sorry for any typos as this was all typed on my blackberry and emailed to my brother for posting as I can't seem to do that on my phone.