Food glorious food

Getting children to eat healthy stuff can be a bit of a chore, but it doesn't have to be. I remember weaning the boys from around six months and to be honest, I really don't remember much about it. It went by in a blur of messy faces and dirty floors. We did have a period where Fin would not be spoon fed anything and I had to resort to giving them noodles for lunch every day. Now though, generally they are great eaters.

They still have days where they are not that hungry, which we all do, and I have learned now that if a child doesn't want to eat, you cannot make them. Just as if someone were to keep shoving a spoon in your direction and you really didn't fancy it, no amount of plane noises or begging could make you open your month. So now I dont sweat it. They will eat when they are hungry.

The most our boys eat is either at breakfast or tea time. Lunch time is generally hit or miss depending on how many biscuits they have had at play group! Tea time is great as we always sit down, all four of us 9 times of of 10 and eat the exact same stuff. I do have to cook slight variations for example if we are having something spicy or something I know the boys really don't like, but most nights they have the same of us.

On the fruit and veg front, we don't do too badly. The boys could eat more fruit but would live on strawberries if they could. They love peas, broccoli and carrots but not too fussed about potatoes or chips. But rice...Oh my goodness rice! THEY LOVE IT! And any kind of pasta dish they will eat.

These are some of our meals that we've had recently.

• Eggfried rice, sweet potato and peas.
• Chicken curry, brown rice, naan bread and pea and broccoli mix.
• Stir fry noodles, edemame beans, broccoli and sausage.
• Banked beans, tomato, homemade wedges and ham.

• Chicken wrap, soft cheese, bread sticks and bread (lots of bread)
• Sammy sampling my green smoothie.
• Sausages, chickpea stew (the love love love this) and greens.
• Chinese pork and rice.

• Making crispy cakes.
• Pizza and nugget night!
• Eating lasagne and veggies made by uncle Darren.
• First trip to Indian restaurant. They really enjoyed it that night.

Some sillies!

• Eating tomato soup with their eyes closed! 
• Last nights chicken and veg curry.
• Sammy making sure he gets every last bit.
• Fin pretty happy with his ice lolly.
•  

Including all the above we are surprised that the boys really enjoy and was purely by fluke that they like them:

• Mackeral
• Prawns
• Chickpeas
• Raw spinach
• Anything Chinese
• Anything Indian
• Carrot & Coriander soup.

 We do have days where they eat nothing but biscuits and cake especially if they are at Nana's or Grans but it's not all the time. I think the more you push and push them to eat something, the more they will dig their heels in. If you are constantly saying 'come on come, eat this, eat that' they cant make up their own mind to try something. Take a more relaxed approach. 

Give them something you would like them to eat and less of what they normally eat. Eventually they may try it but it does take about 12 tastes of the same thing to actually enjoy it. Or threaten to give it to their sibling - they will soon shove what ever it is in their mouth!

Those of you that know us, know we have an allotment which we are hoping to really get the boys involved in this year. Previous years they have been a bit little to understand what its all about but Mark has big plans for them!

Hopefully they will make the connection of where they food comes from what they eat.

Im guessing in a few years time they boys may completely go off their usual food and want to eat nothing but cheerios and cheese for six months but for now I am quite happy with their diet.

So. my biggest tips to encourage your children to eat (Which I'm sure most of you know and have heard a million times over but works) is:

 Eat as a family 

Get them involved in the cooking.

 

Take them to restaurants 

And have fun with it!

xx

Gimmie a break

They say that being a parent is the best thing you will ever do it your life. Your best accomplishment and something that most women cannot wait to to be. let me tell you, who ever said that was fucking lying. Before anyone jumps to conclusion I love every tiny cell of my boys and if anyone were to harm them or even come near, trust me nothing could hold me back. But sometimes, just sometimes I want out.

When I found out I was pregnant I had ideals on what it would be like to raise my child/children. I would be a blissfully happy stay and home mum who planned lots of activities for them to do each day. I would be a patient saint. I would be baking and crafting and preparing home cooked meals for my partner to come home to every night in a spotlessly clean house. Fast forward two and a half years later and the boys are lucky if we bake once a week and Mark is lucky if his dinner is even ready. As for cleaning, if I have picked up the cheerios that landed on the rug this morning, I consider it a deep clean.

Having twins has tested every single limit of mine. I have hit my breaking point so many times I cant remember. I have done many things that I am not proud of whilst raising children. I have shouted, screamed, cried, cursed, dragged from public and probably shouted 'what the fuck is wrong with you' too many times.

But then the guilt kicks in. I forget that the boys have only been on this actual planet 27 months. I cannot expect a 2 year old to be able to understand when they cant have ice cream for breakfast and a slice of bread for dinner. If they want it, they want it. End of. I can teach them the best I can but we cant expect a 2 year old to be able to navigate their emotions and understand what it expected of them with little experience.

But just as they are learning their place in this world, I am learning my place on this world as their mother. I hope that I give them enough cuddles and kisses and reassurance every day that they feel secure and happy when going to bed every night. But also, I need the reassurance that I am doing a good job. The constant demanding wears me down, the endless picking up, the mess, the drinks spilled, the broken nights, the fighting all take their toll until I snap. I am no saint unfortunately but toddlers are little assholes! They are. But like I said before I love my children more  than anything. Maybe when they are a bit older, they will be easier. Looking back, the baby stage is so easy. The sleep, poop and eat. Brilliant. They do all that now but on a messier and louder scale.

Motherhood is definitely harder than I thought it would be. But I love it. Yes I love a break now and then. I crave silence. After a day at work on a Saturday and Sunday, my tolerance levels creep back up to normal after being completely diminished by 5pm on a Friday. But the little charge over the weekend is just enough to get me though the rest of the week. Just. That and perhaps a glass or two!

Notice anything?

As much as I love what Ive done with much two love over the past two years, I thought I should make it a bit more universal and not limited to 'two'. Don't worry, there's nothing hidden in that meaning (mum!) But just in case something does happen, its all set for the future. 

So, introducing........Much More Two Love!

I did have a bit of trouble thinking what to rename the blog, if at all. But I knew it should be kept similar to the old one but open to future developments. Then it hit me. More more more! Fits perfectly. Everyhting will be pretty much the same and you can still access all of my older post through this. It going to have a little tidy and freshen up that's all.

I hope you like it and continue to follow us! x

To all the mums out there

I know this poem has done the the rounds a few time but I think it really says what we need to do every once in a while. I do find myself saying 'in a minute' or 'just let me finish this' when one of the boys asks me to do something for them. So when they do, I need to think of this.

slow down mummy, there is no need to rush,

slow down mummy, what is all the fuss?

slow down mummy, make yourself a cup of tea.

slow down mummy, come spend some time with me.

slow down mummy, let's pull boots on for a walk,

let's kick at piles of leaves, and smile and laugh and talk.

slow down mummy, you look ever so tired,

come sit and snuggle under the duvet, and rest with me a while.

slow down mummy, those dirty dishes can wait,

slow down mummy, let's have some fun - bake a cake!

slow down mummy, I know you work a lot,

but sometimes mummy, it's nice when you just stop.

sit with us a minute,

and listen to our day,

spend a cherished moment,

because our childhood won't stay!

~ R. Knight 

Dont judge me

I go to a lot of play groups. I must attend about 4 a week as well as running one a week just for twins and multiples. I have seen many different types of mums, dads and carers out there and as ashamed as I am to say, have judged and probably been judged by most of them. Its hard not to look at a disheveled lady walking in the door with slicked back hair, no make up on and struggling to carry a car seat  with a sweetly sleeping baby in and not think 'God that was me 2 years ago'. I remember walking into a baby group for the very first time, with two car seats in my arms, looking completely lost hoping for one person to take pity on me and offer me a cuppa.

On the other hand however, there could be that lady that walks in  plastered in make up, wearing high heels and have just squeezed into her post-pregnancy jeans and a lot of the mothers there will cast a terrible judgement. Not 'oh she looks great after just having a baby'. But almost a  'who does she think she is putting us all to shame, looking immaculate when we have been wearing the same baby vomit stained tshirt for days'. Its horrible to make a judgement, but we do. I think we all want to know that other people are struggling with motherhood just as much as we are. For all we know, that lady may have been working out every night when her baby sleeps, to get her body back to its former self  and starving herself just so she feels some self worth and control. She could be at home crying every night with a baby with sever colic that doesn't sleep and getting up in the morning and making herself up is the only way she can get through the day. But we don't see that. All we see is what walking through the door. People have already decided whether to have a conversation with her within the first 5 minutes of walking in. I know this. I have felt the looks of judgement as I walk in.(oh and that's not because I look immaculate - quite the opposite!)

You see I'm not a small talker, or at least I don't consider myself to be but I'm learning.  I'm a bit quirky, and occasionally say inappropriate things which a lot of mums would not find too funny. I guess you could say I'm not a stereotypical mum. I'm 31 but not many of my friends have children. That might be because they are gay or still trying to live their starving artist dream or already have older children or are just not 'there' yet. So when it comes to toddler groups, I find it hard to place myself. And I guess people sense that too. But at the end of the day, all we want is a friendly ear to listen to our sleeping problems and to say 'me too' and 'Oh god I'm so pleased you feel like as well". I've come to realize that just because we both have children, doesn't automatically mean we are going to be best friends. I cant assume that just because we have had a chat about how little there is out there clothes wise for boys, doesn't mean we will be scheduling pay dates every week and drinking wine together at the weekends. We have one thing in common so far, that's not the basis for a lasting relationship.

I think I did expect that to happen automatically when I became a mum but I was totally wrong and I need to not be so hung up on it. Of course I would love to have regular play dates and meet like minded mums but the reality is, Im not on this desperate search for mum friends and I need to keep telling myself that. Its OK. Its OK  if I don't have friends that have children the same age. Actually I should be grateful that my close circle of friends aren't all in the same boat as me as conversation would be pretty boring. At least my current circle all have different things going on which we can talk about instead of dirty nappies and sick which validates that there is still a real world out there for me.

I guess its a matter of getting the balance right. An equal mix of mummy friends and non mummy friends. That way you can have conversations about children when you need but also, its so nice to have a break from it! 

And luckily, this evening, its one of those nights! Thanks for having the boys mum! xx

Bye bye bottles

Reading the many blog and articles that I do, I know there is a bit of debate on when the best time is to ditch the bottles. My boys were predominantly bottle fed so I was worried that there would be a significant attachment to them.

A lot of people say on the first birthday, all the bottles go in the bin, or to 'the bottle fairy'. However, some say that their kids are near 4 and still have one for comfort. Now the boys have never been attached in a sense to their bottles as they have always had their donkey and cloth for that, nor have they ever been put to bed with one and left to it. So when my boys were the other side of 2 years and I was sick of making 6 bottles a night in case they woke up hungry, I thought I really needed to make some changes.

So this is what I did; One afternoon I sat them down and said that we are not going to be having bottles any more at bed time because they are big boys. We put their bottles in a carrier bag ready to give to the 'rubbish truck' (a latest obsession) which actually just went into the cupboard in case we need them in the future and that was it. No crying, no asking for bottles – nothing. Every night since they have had either a sippy cup or beaker, which does have its own battles but im so pleased not to be making any more bottles.

I think doing this has also automatically weaned them off bottles during the night as a sippy cup requires more of an effort so they don't bother asking for it. Win!

The next stage will be weaning Sammy off his dummy. He can keep his cloth and Fin can keep his Donkey but the dummy really has to go. I think it will be a gradual thing. He has it for sleeps but never if we are at a club or out and about so I think the key will be distraction initially and then bribery once he can understand. Oh and there is the potty training and the switch from cots to a bed to contend with this year but one thing  at a time thanks.