Polar Opposites

Been thinking about the girls' personalities a lot lately...and wanted to share. Be prepared..this is a long post--but pretty funny!!

Janie and Lexie are so alike in so many ways. Of course we all know they look so much alike. I really wish I had a dime for everytime I am asked "Are they twins". I cannot go anywhere without having to answer it at least 4-5 times per store. Sometimes I even hear people walk by and say things like "oh look at those cute twins". I just smile and often don't correct them...The girls love to play, play, play (and also fight, fight, fight)...there is no shortage of sibling rivalry around here these days. A gazillion toys in the house and they ALWAYS seem to want the exact same one! But I guess that is normal. I am an only child so I never had to "share" toys...it is fun playing referee sometimes :):)

However, Janie and Lexie are also SO DIFFERENT in so many ways! I remember getting email updates from Taiwan about the girls.

Janie:

The updates from Janie always mentioned how "particular" she was. She was a baby who wanted it her way and only her way. She was described as stubborn and often very difficult (but in a good way). She liked things her way and only her way. When she came home, I began to see what they meant. She is a wonderful baby (now little girl) but she does like all things a very specific way. One email even joked that I should travel to Taiwan a few days early so I could learn all about her quirks and what works/doesn't work for her :)

See Janie is very neat. Actually, the word "neat" really isn't strong enough...she hates messiness! She does not like to get dirty. She is extremely girly..she wants dresses, bows, etc. She is obsessed with clothes. One of the first things she asks every morning is "What I gonna wear today?" She always wants a napkin and is constantly wiping her face during meal times. She wants order. She hates all things "messy". She loves to follow all directions. She loves to "tattle" on others that are not following the rules, etc. She literally WILL NOT GO TO SLEEP until everything in her room is in the exact correct spot. One day she found a bowl in her toy box that holds all her doll house stuff--she held it up and said "Hey, this don't go here-this not my doll house" and immediately took it to her play kitchen. I think she has a little OCD going on. But I love my little quirky neat freak!

Janie is also very serious. She does have a funny/silly side too...but for the most part, she is always thinking about something and asking very deep questions....

Lexie:

All the updates I got on her kept saying she was so easy going..nothing like her sister. All I read about was how "sweet" she was. She loved to snuggle and be held. She was constantly described as laid back, easy going, and sweet. They are sooooo right. Lexie is one sweet, silly, funny, goofy girl! She cracks me up...she is the EXACT opposite of Janie when it comes to order and mess! She loves to get dirty, she loves danger, she would rather throw things all around and make a disaster out of anything she can. She is not afraid of anything! She will jump off something without even looking or hesitating (scares me so much--and keeps me on high alert). She will eat anything, she will touch anything--she will give me lots of gray hair I am sure!

I always say "Janie hates to be near dirt and Lexie loves to eat the dirt".

She is going to be voted class clown-I just know it. I have a feeling this child will create lots of parent/teacher conferences to discuss her wild/crazy behavior in class! She will just be standing there and do some crazy movement/dance/shout/etc...it is so funny to just sit and watch her.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that they are so different from each other. They are constantly compared to each other (by they way they look). I love that God has given them each thier own unique personality!!

Here they are both enjoying playing in a crib!

Now for how they are so different:

When I tell Janie to pick an outfit, this is what she usually chooses. Notice the perfectly matched dress/bow. That is my "girly" girl.

Lexie will pick something like this. An outfit with a stain and for fun, let's put a pull-up on over the clothes!
When decorating cupcakes, Janie's has all the sprinkes neatly placed on top of the cupcake:

Lexie will dump all the sprinkles out on the table:

When eating bread sticks (to dip in cheese) Janie will keep it neat and clean:

While Lexie will stick them up her nose :):)

Lexie also LOVES to "bug" Janie. She knows what to do to make Janie scream. She loves Janie so much and Janie loves her too....but, Janie HATES to be sat on! So what does Lexie do...well, she is always laying on top of Janie--just so she can hear her scream!!

Of course Mommy thinks it is so funny....she grabs the camera!!

But..........................................

Maybe they are rubbing off on each other. Janie is starting to make Lexie a little more clean and "girly". On this day, Lexie wanted me to spread the blanket on the floor so we wouldn't get her new outfit dirty.........

And......................

Lexie is making Janie a little more silly. Janie wanted to pick her own clothes and she came running down the hall one Saturday morning in this outfit:

Oh my precious girls!! I am so blessed!!!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Lexie!!!

Happy Birthday sweet Lexie girl!! It is so hard to believe that you are 2 years old!! Your special day went like this!!

You woke up to find balloons all over the house!

When it was time to get dressed, you decided the balloons needed to come to mommy's room too! So you and Janie brought all the balloons to the bedrooms!



Then you put all the balloons on the bed!

Mommy had to go to work, so you went to Miss Gaye's house...you had a great time playing with the balloons and your friends there!

Then we came home and Mimi & Gramps came over to celebrate your special day. Yummy dinner, cake, and of course PRESENTS!!

Here you are after dinner waiting for your cake!

Look at that big happy smile!!

Janie enjoyed the cake too! (Janie kept asking if it was her birthday)

After cake, you went to the restroom to get cleaned up. When you came back to the living room, you saw all your presents! Look how excited you are!! (Janie looks pretty thrilled too)

Oooh, lots of great things to open!!

You are very into baby dolls right now.

Look at this great rocking chair that Mimi got you to feed your new baby her bottle!!

Time to put your baby in your new crib!

This is how I found you the next morning...sound asleep in mommy's bed!

I think you must have had lots of fun!!

Happy Birthday precious girl!

Mommy loves you so much!!

*************************************************************************
NEW CLOTHES!!!!!

So those of you that know Mimi, know that she loves a good sale! Well, she found one!! A great clearance sale on ADORABLE children clothes!! Check out 2 of the new outfits she got for the girls...........

Now look at all the others!!!!!!!!

These 2 are my favorite!!!

Here is video of Lexie blowing out her birthday cake!!!

So sweet!!

I have an iPad 2!!!!

So about 7 or 8 months ago my mom attended a trade show (or conference--or something like that). They were giving away door prizes and she won one of them. She won an iPad!!!

So, it sat on her desk at work for 8 months still in the box and plastic wrapper. Everyone who walked by just shook thier head and laughed that she hadn't started using this AMAZING device yet. Mom decided to just go ahead and give it to me so I can use it...I am a Mac/Apple girl. That is all I use at home...but never broke down to buy the iPad yet. She knows I wanted to have one for myself and for the girls to play with.

Well, fast foward to this weekend.....Target was running an ad that you can bring in your iPad and trade it for up to $350 towards the iPad 2. Since this one was brand new (unopened) we figured we would for sure get the full $350. But, we also had a gift card and reward bucks to Best Buy so we went by there first to see if they would offer the same deal.

Well, turns out that Best Buy does have a "trade up" program. They just needed to see it and make sure it qualified. So, I went out to the car to get it. I took it to the counter and the employee looked at it and said "This is an iPad 2"

How funny is that!! So no trade up needed. We used the gift card and rewards bucks to buy a case and screen protector.

Conversations with Janie!

Some of the funny things that Janie says.....she cracks me up!!

Breakfast conversation:
Me: "Janie what do you want for breakfast"
Janie: "Mac-n-cheese"
Me: "How about an egg and cheese sandwich"
Janie: "How about a mac-n-cheese sandwich"

While singing:
Both of us: "I've got the joy, joy, joy down in my heart...."
Me: "Janie, You have the love of Jesus in your heart"
Janie: Pulls out shirt, looks in and asks "In my shirt?"

Thinking:
Janie: "Mommy?"
Me: "Yes, Janie"
Janie: "I have a question"
Me "What is your question"
Janie "I am thinking about a doll house. Santa bring me another one tomorrow?"

Honesty:
Mommy hears Lexie crying...
Mommy says "Janie, please don't hit your sister"
Janie: "I didn't hit Wexie, I pushed her"

Her story:
Me: "Janie, where were you born"
Janie: "Taiwan"
Me: "Tell me your story"
Janie: lots of mumbled conversations about a plane, God, mommy and Mimi and Lexie.
Soooo sweet!!!

I love how she has sooooooooo many thoughts and is able to express them so well. Talking to her everyday is like a breathe of fresh air. Listening to her explain things, ask questions, wonder, explore....oh, it is amazing!! I cannot wait until this time next year when Lexie is hopefully as verbal. I have a feeling I will be in constant laughter!!

Silly, Silly, Silly Lexie

Hi Everyone,
Lexie here!!

See my sweet, precious, angelic face.....don't let my calm look fool you!!!



I am extremely silly and VERY into EVERYTHING right now.....I love being sooooo silly. Everyone says my personality is beyond hilarious! Mommy says she is certain I will be voted class clown my senior year of high school. Mommy says I am the EXACT opposite of my sister. Janie is silly at times and very playful too--but Janie is very serious, methodical, and a "deep thinker".

I just like to be as silly as possible at all times!! Mommy says she thinks it is my personal mission to make everyone around me laugh!!

So a few months ago I began climbing out of my crib. Mommy says I am waaaayyyy, too young to be doing that. I like to climb out at all hours of the night and get into my closet and begin pulling everything out. Mommy put lots of pillows around the bottom of the crib to help me not get hurt. Then she said it might be time for a toddler bed....but I reminded her that I am very crazy and WILL NOT stay in the bed. I plan to get into EVERYTHING!!

So mommy broke down and bought this crazy crib tent. She says she LOVES it. It really works and I don't mind it.


But, when I wake up I can't climb out and I want to have fun before mommy comes to get me...so I get really quiet and begin to "play" in my crib. After I pushed all my blankets/animals out of the crib, I decided to have more fun....by getting naked! Yep, diaper and all! (You can use your imagination on the yucky diapers--not pretty). Mommy helped me blur my "naked" pictures!!


I did this so many times that mommy said I was driving her crazy...So mommy decided to try something else.....she put my zipper pj's on backwards!!

And cut out the feet!!
I thought it was pretty funny and it worked. I couldn't get naked...but I was still bored when I woke up. So, I decided to pull the sheet off my bed! Mommy just shakes her head at me. She says she doesn't know why I just don't call out to her and come play in the living room or kitchen instead of being so silly in my bed....

Well, after pushing the blankets out and taking off the sheets...after a few days, I got bored again....So, I figured out how to get out of those backwards pj's.....so much fun! So now, I wonder what mommy will do???? Ha, Ha, Ha!



Janie just laughs at me and says "Wexie, why do you get naked?"

Yep, I am a handful and I love it! Keeps mommy very busy!



Bye-Bye,

Love you all,
Lexie

Merry Christmas!!

We would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas!! We are looking forward to that special morning around our house. Janie is really starting to "get it" this year. She is very into the big guy in the red suit (even though she won't go anywhere near him). As long as he brings her a doll house she is fine with it!! Lexie is full of wonder and glow with all the holiday decorations, songs, etc.

Janie is also beginning to understand the true meaning of Christmas as well. We have spent many times telling her the story of Jesus' birth and how He is our Savior. If you ask her whose birthday it is, she answers "It is the angel's birthday". So sweet.....

They are both growing up so quickly and I love watching them learn about Christmas traditions. Each day is a blessing....Every moment is celebrated!

Wishing you the gift of faith, the blessing of hope, and the peace of His love at Christmas time and always!

Santa

Janie came home in September 2009. She loved, loved, loved Santa. The picture from that year she is smiling and tickling his beard.

Fast forward to 2010...the picture is the same for Lexie but the exact opposite for Janie. Lexie met Santa by herself and was a happy little girl. Janie would not sit on Santa's lap by herself so the picture of the 2 of them is HYSTERICAL. Janie is screaming at the top of her lungs, mouth wide open and ters streaming down her face. Lexie is looking over at her like "What is wrong with you?"

Now fast forward to Christmas Season 2011. Lexie seems to really like Santa. Whenever she sees an image of him or when we go to the mall she smiles and waves and says "oh, oh, oh"---her sweet version of Ho, Ho, Ho.

Janie...well that is another story. To put it mildly...Janie is not a fan of Santa. Of course she will tell you what Santa is bringing her for Christmas (another post in itself) but she will have NOTHING to do with him at all. You see, Janie is extremely verbal. I have been told that she is actually verbally advanced for her age (which is funny b/c she won't speak to people at first--acts shy). But she is not shy to tell me how she feels about Santa.

We have watched every possible Barney/Sesame Street/Dora/etc episode with Santa...and she is fine with that...but in person, a completely different story. I even showed her the picture of her in 2009 happily sitting on Santa's lap...nope, not gonna happen.

Last time we were at the mall we walked over to the area. Lexie was smiling and happy but Janie immediately tensed up. Her poor little body became so stiff and she had this little fake smile on her face. When we walked away, she told me "Mommy, I didn't cry" I told her I was proud of how brave she was but then she added "I don't like Santa"

Janie will tell you all the following things about Santa:

"I don't like Santa", "Santa scares me", "I am afraid of Santa", "I don't want to see Santa", "I don't want to sit on Santa's lap", "I don't want Santa to come to my house", "I don't want to wave at him" and my personal favorite: When she knows we are going shopping she always says "Mommy, I have a question for you. Is Santa going to be there?"

The issue is that while Lexie loves Santa, she follows Janie's lead and then acts afraid and begins to cry too. So I think I will take Lexie alone to see Santa this year. Not sure if I will even try with Janie.

A few weeks ago we went to the Christmas Open House in a local shopping area. Santa was there and we tried. Tried being the key word. Here is what we got....

Lexie:
At first she was ready and seemed really excited. Then Janie began to scream so Lexie would not go to Santa. She did let me hold her though....although check out the grip she has on my shirt.

Janie:
Well, Santa offered her a lollipop and she REALLY wanted it, so she leaned in and did grab that (through the tears).

I am hopeful that Janie will eventually outgrow her fear. I know many kids are afraid of Santa. So my question to all you mommies out there: Do you make your child sit on Santa's lap (even with the tears)? It almost seems like emotional abuse to me? What do you think????