twins – Groningen Rain

9 June 2021

Moving Back to the States: English

[Dutch Lock Down Day Four Hundred Forty Seven]

In case you hadn’t heard, we’re moving back to the States.

And.

The twins speak ONLY Dutch.

The other night as I was tucking them in, it occurred to me that I should push the English thing a bit more – hilarity ensued.

But first the news:

Me: “Are you excited to move to America?”

Twins: “JAAAAA!! !” [yes, in Dutch]

Me: “In America you need to speak English, yeah?”

Twins: “JAAAA!! !”

9 April 2021

“Can It Be For One Minute Please?”

[Dutch Lock Down Day Three Hundred Eighty Six]

Every night around eight p.m. local time, we tell First Minion it’s time for bed and ever since I can remember since time immemorial he’s replied with a request for just one more minute.

Of course, he must’ve learned that at some point because I’m sure he wasn’t saying it with ‘please’ or nearly as many words when he was, say, two years old, but it’s been YEARS.

And when he asks for that one more minute, the condition of said minute is that he gets undressed for bed and then he gets about another five minutes of screen time.

Therefore, I’ve started telling him it’s bedtime at… ten BEFORE eight.

Which isn’t true.

And I feel absolutely NO guilt.

Because it will only work for so long before something shifts and nights are a new and wonderful puzzle to be solved.

But first the news:

The sun is staying up longer. And coming up earlier. And the twins are getting older. And so is First Minion. And it’s about time for everyone’s bedtimes to shift to later because they’re getting older, not because the nights are getting shorter. But it’s going to upset the delicate balance that currently exists only in my mind.

And?

The upstairs room is renovated. The construction is done. The bed is fixed. And made. The house is ready for Papa and I to move upstairs into our own floor, move First Minion into his own room, and the twins to have their own room.

It’s going to be absolute chaos.

I need one more minute.

One more day.

One more week before we throw the house into chaos, move everyone around, shift everyone’s bedtime and no one sleeps through the night.

I’m not ready.

Can I have one more week, please?

Maybe two?

5 April 2021

If You Can Dream It?

[Dutch Lock Down Day Three Hundred Eighty Two]

Girl Twin and I went for a walk – she rode her balance bike while I walked.

Sometimes she would shoot ahead, letting her legs and the wheels take her faster than my walking gait.

“You must run, Mama.”

And sometimes I did.

But first the news:

But then the wind gusts blew and the light snow fell and suddenly, she couldn’t go fast anymore.

She was cold.

“If you go faster, you’ll get home quicker. Out of the cold.”

But she didn’t listen – she went slower.

The more I tried to get her to move it move it, she slower she went.

Until she stopped.

17 March 2021

Dear Girl Twin

[Dutch Lock Down Day Three Hundred Sixty Three]

Let’s talk about appropriate alarm clocks, shall we?

Bringing me breakfast in bed.

Bringing me chocolate in bed.

Brining me English Breakfast tea with generous milk in bed.

And now for inappropriate alarm clocks.

Puke.

Screaming from another room.

Literally all other alarm clocks except for the aforementioned three appropriate alarm clocks.

But first the news:

Considering she’s now sleeping soundly next to me while I write this, I don’t think she’s learned her lesson.

Yet.

9 March 2021

Thx, Twins

[Dutch Lock Down Day Three Hundred Fifty Five]

Last night’s complete lack of sleep is thanks to Girl Twin using the “I feel sick” as her only weapon, she spent the night in our bed while P attempted to sleep in other places around the house but totally failing and I finally got her back into her own bed but then she woke up howling at three something and then Boy Twin joined in and First Minion somehow slept through it all but Oh Em GEE today’s going to be delightful.

But first the news:

I’m just trying not to throw up from sleep deprivation at this point.