VALENTINE'S DAY

This year I wanted to create healthy and fun 

Valentine's Day 

for our boys. 

So he hunt was on...

I found these boxes and glasses I had stashed away, 

and thought hmm what can I do with these.

I figured "I'm Wild About You" was cute, 

and I filled it with raisins!

Then I found this great printable from

I took a zip top sandwich bag and fill with Goldfish. 

Then I tied the ribbon around.

After that I just cut off the zip top part.

I found this cute idea on Pinterest.

We already had some apple banana "Go Go Squeez" 

which just sweetened the deal.

This is what the boys had for breakfast...

Heart shaped whole wheat pancakes, and strawberries...Yummy! 

Lunch was fun too!

Heart shaped grill cheese on whole wheat bread,

Annie's crackers, 

and their "Go Go Squeez!"

Mommy's little animals. 

Mommy's Valentine...Caleb!

Mommy's Valentine...Noah!

The kids enjoyed the day and there wasn't any 

candy or junk food!

PARTIAL FOCAL SEIZURE - CHILD / TODDLER

I made this video to help parents going through the same thing we did. Noah's partial seizures were so short at first we couldn't get them on tape like his neurologist asked. Thanks to other parents who posted video's of their children, and the videos we could capture we were able to show his doctor his symptoms, and finally get the diagnoses of partial (focal) seizure. Hope this helps!

This is an extended clip of a bad seizure Noah had before his 48 hour EEG.


Playlist of similar videos

Some websites I found helpful:
Epilepsy Foundation

Epilepsy.com

Web MD

Duke Health - Childhood Seizures

About Kids Health

LIFE AS A TWIN MOM

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE, YOUTUBE, TWITTER

We now have a Facebook fan page!!! 

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Be on the lookout! I'm working on an educational video teaching shapes, farm & safari animals, numbers, colors, fruits, vegetables, and different modes of transportation!

I want to thank everyone for the out pouring of support. I hope that you will be encouraged to try some of the activities with a child in your life. Also we hit a record for visitors to the site yesterday! I also want to thank all our international visitors for stopping by. It is so nice to see the love from all around the globe.

THE BOYS FROM BIRTH TO THEIR 1ST BIRTHDAY

A video of my preemie identical twin boys from birth to their 1st birthday!

HOW TO MAKE AN EASY DINOSAUR MASK

MAGNETIC FELT FISH

I love the dollar store. I get most of the boys craft items there, and the last time I went I found felt. I've had it while, and today I thought I have to make something. I'm sure most of you have promotional magnets you've cumulated. Here is a great way to put them to use. I took mine, and made the boys magnetic felt fish!

BROWN BEAR HEADS & TAILS

I found a great link on where else but Pinterest.com! Check out the link! Download and print the PDF. These are great to bring to restaurants, doctor offices, or to use at grandma's. They will fit in any diaper bag, or almost any purse. Here is a video you can play before introducing the cards!

Here's what you will need:

The printout (above link)

Clear Contact Paper

Scissors

Ruler

Tape

Here is what I started with. Cut out the cards and the card holder. 

Then measure how much clear contact paper you will need. Make sure you leave room around the cards. 

Once you have taken the backing off the contact paper arrange the cards. Then cut a second piece of contact paper and place on top. Use a ruler (I used a spatula) to rub out any tiny air bubbles. It is also recommended that you have an extra hand. You might need help so the contact paper doesn't stick together when you peal the backing off. Also when you place the second sheet on top it would be much easier with to two people. If you have to do it alone I suggest making one card at a time. 

You will need to leave a border of contact paper around the cards when you cut them out. This helps to keep the contact paper sealed.

Once you have cut out the animals you can assemble the card holder and secure with tape, because of the contact paper I chose to use the thick tape as shown above.

Here's the finished product! 

Brown Bear heads and tails cards complete with card holder. So cute!

DISCOVERY BOTTLES

I have seen these before and knew I could recreate them for the boys. It wasn't that hard and the bottles are very durable. Since the pompom box was such a success I had the time to test it out. Feel free to fill with small plastic fish, animals, or glitter. 

What you will need:

Water Bottles

Pompoms 

Colored Beads

Glue Gun & Glue

Water

  

1. Fill the empty water bottle with the beads and pompoms.

2. Fill with water leaving a little room on the top.

3. Place a few dots of hot glue around the thread of the bottle top. 

5. Screw the top on quickly and securely, and voila a discovery bottle. 

Caleb shaking the bottle.

Noah watching everything fall through the water.

"Bubbles" said Caleb.

He liked to see what would float, and what would sink.

POMPOM BOX

So we were off to the farm today when we realize we had been going in the wrong direction. Opps! By the time we would have rerouted, and arrived at the farm, it would have been closing. Feeling bad we didn't make it to our designation I came up with this simple activity. I used a left over tissue box, and a bag of pompoms. It kept them entertained for about an hour :)

What you will need:

Tissue Box

Pompoms

Noah pouring them out.

Let's put them back in.

They would put every last one in before they would dump them out. Haha!

SUN CATCHERS

The boys were going kind of crazy, and I knew I needed to redirect a little of that extra energy. So, I pulled a this one out of my activity bag. You can make these sun catchers in any shape you desire. We chose  a rectangle for the sake of time. This killed two birds with one stone. The boys had fun, and I found a way to decorate a few windows. They are always pulling at the blinds so we're forced to keep them up and out of reach. 

What you will need:

Contact Paper

Cut pieces of Ribbon/Colored Scrap Paper 

 Card Stock/Construction Paper

Scissors 

1. Cut out you shape/border from the card stock. 

2. Cut your ribbon into small pieces.

3. Cut the contact paper to fit, and peel off backing. 

4. Adhere the cutout to the sticky side of the contact paper.

5.Let your child decorate with ribbon pieces.

6.Cut a second piece of contact paper and seal it.

7. Hang in the window :)

Noah 

Caleb

Noah working on his sun catcher.

Caleb working on his sun catcher.

TOWER OF CHEERIOS

This morning while Daddy was whipping up his famous pancakes the boys were getting a little anxious. So I made them a Tower of Cheerios. Not only did it keep them happy, but it works on their fine motor skills. 

What you need:

Playdoh

Toothpick/Spagetti 

Cheerios

1. Make a ball with the playdoh.

(Playdoh Recipe ~ Click here!)

2. Stick a toothpick in the ball. Done!

Caleb

Noah

PAPER TOWEL RACETRACK

Unfortunately Daddy had to go out of town to attend a funeral for a close family member. The boys and I knew we would miss him, and didn't want to be home alone. We had to call Auntie Allison and have a sleepover. We had a yummy dinner, and then we played with our paper towel racetrack. They loved this, and  laughed so hard. Vroom! Vroom! 

What you will need:

Paper Towel Rolls

Scissors

Tape

1. Cut the paper towel the long way.

2. Tape them together.

3. Tape the track to stairs.

Auntie Allison showing Noah how it's done.

"Oh wow!" said Caleb & Auntie.

MAKE A WATCH

These were easy to make, and can be altered in many ways to work for your child, like bracelets! We made watches because the boys are having so much fun with numbers lately. I found inspiration from this link I found on Pinterest.com. I ran with the theme, and dressed the boys in Daddy's ties, and gave them their "laptops" so they could pretend to do some important work.

What you will need:

Toilet Paper Roll

Clear Tape

Index Card

(or any kind of sturdy paper/cardboard)

Marker or Pen

1. Cut a strip from the toilet paper roll.

2. Cut out a circle from the index card.

3. On the blank side write in the numbers, and the clock hands.

4. Take your toilet paper strip and tape on the watch face!

 Noah hard at work.

Caleb filling his report before the deadline ;)

EGG SHELL SENSORY ACTIVITY

After this mornings cheese omelets I washed out some of the egg shells for an after breakfast sensory activity. They really studied the egg shells, and were very quite. They loved to pick them up and put them back in the carton. Then they found out they could crush the eggs with their finger. They really loved poking at the shells. I suggest really keeping a eye on your child. You don't want them to eat them. I washed out our's VERY thoroughly with soap and water. Then they were laid to dry before the boys played with them. 

Our cleaned out egg shells.

Caleb opening his egg carton

Noah checking out the eggs and the carton.

 Noah placing the shells in and out of the egg carton. 

Caleb investagting the egg shell.

That's his umm what can I do with this face...LOL!