The twins first swimming trip

I took my eldest child swimming at around twelve weeks old, and the same (or thereabouts) for Trouble two, so I am very ashamed that, at five months old, the twins have only just done their first swimming trip. The delay has mainly been down to me not having enough hands. It's hard enough taking two small babies swimming, but having to do it with two older children in tow, neither of which is yet an accomplished swimmer is even more difficult, even for two adults. So we haven't really found a time here at Trouble Towers where both me and Troubles' Dad can go with just the twins.
My salvation came this week in the form of Troubles' Auntie - my extremely useful younger sister. She's a fab Auntie. She lives away, doesn't interfere from one day to the next, then turns up with gifts and hugs from time to time with interesting things to tell the girls. As a younger, childless version of me, the girls think she's great. Anyway, she's been back 'oop north' for a few days and suggested we go swimming, which was a fantastic idea.

We took them down to the leisure centre - a lagoon, leisure type pool which attracts lots of families with small children and is really cheap. Getting changed was a bit of a mare because there was only one changing table and someone else had it (damn them), so we ended up putting the babies on our knees (for which I was more competent than the sister as would be expected), and then laying them on a towel while we sorted ourselves out. The swimming itself was great. The babies were a bit confused at first, but loved the splashing and bobbing about, and didn't cry once, even when their little faces got all wet. They reminded me very much of my older two at that stage and both are very confident in the water. We stayed in for about 45 minutes, splashing around and pretending they were swimming, which they thought was hilarious.

Getting out and getting dried was a bit more stressful. They were more slippery than when they went in, and getting cold. Sobbing ensued so we just got on with getting them dried and dressed as quickly as possible, rescued the pram from the pram park and put them in while we got dressed. Thank goodness for super big family changing rooms. These places are not really designed to help someone with small babies, especially more than one, but we did our best.

All in all, the swimming session went well, they really enjoyed it and we fully intend to go again, as soon as I have sprouted more arms. Like an octopus. Or found a way of us all being able to magically float.

The middle one

I thought it was about time to introduce you to my second child. Again, this one is a girl (there's a theme developing here if you noticed) and she's just as headstrong as the first. She is very much like her sister in many, many ways. She is chatty, argumentative, and very bright. From the beginning she was very physically able. She got up and walked at ten months. While my oldest was always a little less confident physically, number two was hauling herself up the cargo nets and throwing herself down the wavy slides at the soft play at one year old. She also started throwing herself at her older sister, and we had to teach number one to fight back a bit as she was getting really stressed about it, and was trying not to hit back.

The big difference between the two oldest troubles is that Trouble two is much more capable in lots of ways. Although she's still only three, she can dress herself, get her own breakfast cereal, brush her own teeth, and get her own drinks. She is also brilliant at helping me round the house. She too small to do very much, but is a master at loading and unloading the washing machine and tumble dryer, sweeping the kitchen floor, and dusting the shelf in the hallway. She loves helping her mummy with the babies too. Today she helped me dress them, which twin two thought was hilarious throughout, and she did a real good job.

Trouble two is amazingly cute. She has the floatiest, curly blonde hair, and a really cheeky smile. She gets away with murder. She can also be a stroppy little arse, and attempts to throw wobblies which don't really work with us because we just laugh at her. She gets very upset and walks off, but then decides she loves us really and comes back within minutes.

She loves her dollies and spends ages undressing them. It's rare we have a clothed doll in our house. She is also fantastic at maths, which is good. Her memory is amazing. She reminded me today what day it is, that she isn't at 'school' today and that we go to our usual playgroup. I need my planner to help me with those things at the moment (too much baby brain still I'm afraid), but she remembers tiny details and I have to admit I am grateful.

Trouble two started part-time at the foundation unit this year. At first she was very shy and quiet, but that lasted all of three days. Now she is confident, chatty and holds her own with the full-time children academically and in play. She has lots of friends of all ages.

The thing I love most about Trouble two is, for all her stroppiness and mardiness, she's a real home-bod. She hates being away too long, even on holiday, and gets anxious if we are out too late on a night, yearning for her bed. She is a domestic goddess and is going to be the most amazing cook and baker, which I am looking forward to immensly. I call her my insurance policy as I know if something is to happen to me in old age, she will be there providing me with endless biscuits and clean clothes, and lots of hugs.

I spend a lot of my time splitting up Trouble One and Two from one of their many clashes or arguments, which considering there is over three years between them, Trouble two comes out of considerably well. We are currently teaching her to read using phonics, and to stay in bed without a cot side thing to hold her in. I have to go now because I have to go upstairs and put her back in her bed. Again. This will be the second time this evening. I will pick her up and curse how heavy she is getting, but I will give her a little kiss on her curly blonde head and pray for her to be kept safe and well. Mainly because I can't afford the old-age care and I know she will be my salvation. God love her.

A very typical morning

The summer holidays are nearly upon us here at Trouble Towers, as they are for most other families around the UK. I don't look forward to school holidays as it takes a lot of effort to entertain four children of three different ages and very different ability levels and personalities. I enjoy the school day as it's a regular routine where the older two get educated and get to interact with their friends in more age-appropriate activities and me and the twins get to spend some lovely quiet time together, just the three of us. However, there is one part of the school day I am looking forward to getting a break from, and that is the time spent getting ready for school in the morning.

Usually we aim to get up for 7.30am, but it doesn't always happen, especially for Trouble One who wouuld stay in bed with her duvet until she got hungry if we let her. Trouble Two is much keener on rising early and if no-one is up with her, will go downstairs and sort out her own breakfast. Unfortunately this normally ends in a milk and cereal mess either on the table or the floor, unless she gets herself a bag of crisps like she did this morning (bad parents). So this morning started with shouting at T1 to get up RIGHT NOW!, and trying to convince T2 that a bag of crisps does not constitute breakfast, even if they were of the bacon rasher variety.

Then we move on to clothes. T1 is a dawdler. Big time. She has been going to school now for three years and still hasn't worked out the correct order to put clothes on to make sure that you don't end up with your pants outside your trousers. So, she takes a lot of supervising. The younger trouble is a lot more capable, so we leave her to it, which isn't always the best idea, especially if she decides she's having a personal mufti day and is going to wear one of her numerous pretty summer dresses instead of the trousers, shirt and cardi the school prefer her to arrive in. So that ends in a fight too.

Now if Troubles Dad is off work, it gets a bit fraught because they do play him up and he can't do hair, though he does try his very best. Now if it's my turn to get them to school, I have to do it all myself plus also feed and change the twins so we can take them with us on the school run (well a walk actually, but you know what I mean). Often 'Mum days' are less stressful because they absolutely know that nothing is negotiable and get on with (most) things without question. Mostly.

We set off for school at 8.30am, less than an hour after getting up, which isn't too bad. The walk to school takes about fifteen minutes through suburban areas with not too much traffic thankfully, and the girls are used to it now so it's fairly stress-free. The girls go in with no grumbling, but with at least one kiss, if not two. Then the walk back home is lovely, especially when the sun is shining. We arrive home to a nice quiet house knowing it will be that way for at least another six hours.

Now, it would be nice if the older two just got on with their routine in a morning without me having to shout. But things could be worse, and it's over quite quick. I am grateful for a break from it all every now and again, so am looking forward to the start of the school holidays so we can 'lose' this part of our day for a while. It's the six weeks after this that I'm dreading.