It's all in the genes!

Let's talk dimples (the kind on your face)...

Those of you that know me or have seen pictures of me, know that I have dimples. My dimple on my right cheek is much more prominent than my dimple on my left cheek (but both do exist!). 

What most people don't know about dimples is that they are a genetic defect! Basically a dimple is caused by a shortened muscle or collapsing muscle in the cheek...which creates a dimple. And this defect is genetic...in fact it is a dominant gene. If one parent has dimples or even carries the gene there is a 50% chance the child will have dimples. If both parents have dimples or the gene the chances of the child having dimples increases even more. 

Now, I used to get teased...only by my dimpleless sister and husband...about my dimples. My sister used to tease me and say that I only had dimples because she poked me in the cheeks with pencils.  And Bryce always jokes that I only have one and it's weird.  Obviously, when Bryce started teasing me about my dimples he didn't know there was a high probability that I could one day pass them on to our children! 

And guess what....I did!!!

At a young age Peyton started showing us her dimple on her right cheek.

We started seeing Jensen's dimple pretty early on...which is also located on his right cheek. And over the last 3 months (the boys turned 3 months yesterday!!) it has really become prominent, though still difficult to catch on camera. 

And over the last few weeks Trevor's dimple...also on the right cheek...is slowly starting to show. I have pretty unsuccessfully tried to catch it on camera. But I did get some cute pictures out of the effort. 

So I have successfully passed my genetic defect down to all three children and I love it!!!! Can't wait to watch their cute little smiles and accompanying dimples grow!! Best genetic defect ever!

 

Who's who?!?

 So the question keeps coming up...how do you tell them apart? I like to say...I'm mom, I just know! But there are ways to tell them apart. 

The first monthish it was pretty easy because Jensen was smaller, so we knew the smaller baby was Jensen and the bigger baby was Trevor. However, now their size is almost identical. At 2 months Trevor was 10lbs 12oz and 22 inches long and Jensen was 10lbs 13oz and 22.5 inches long. So clearly the big and small baby technique no longer works!

1. Stork Bites

Both boys have stork bites on their forehead...however, Trevor's are more prominent! So look for the red marks on the forehead to find Trevor!

2. Hair

Both boys were born with hair....Trevor definitely got the better hair cut! ;).  Jensen has less hair and more of an old man style, a little thinner on top!

3.  Head shape

Due to a dreaded flat spot (we are working on it) Jensen's head isn't quite as round as Trevor's! 

4. Neck Control

Trevor is mostly a pro at controlling his bobbel head...Jensen not so much. He's still working on it. So if you see one boy who's head is more to the side or he's falling over, there's a good chance it's Jensen!

Now you know my secrets!! Happy future guessing! ;)

2 years...it flew by!

Yesterday was Peyton's 2nd Birthday. I still can't believe my baby is 2! And even more, I can't believe how much she has grown. Everyday she does or says something that amazes me. I often wonder where she is learning some of this stuff...and am then reminded how amazing she really is. 

I remember blogging this time last year about Peyton turning 1! And how I couldn't believe she went from a dependent baby to starting to walk and talk. And now she's running everywhere, talking up a storm...starting to use sentences and has no problem sharing her opinion on matters! Holy cow...this all happened faster than I ever imagined (oh no, the water works are starting up!). 

As parents I think we are quick to say we are excited for the next stage: rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, talking...etc. But I have learned that each stage is equally amazing...and in reality they come and go way too fast! 

It feels like just yesterday I was worried Peyton would never crawl and now I can barely catch her when she thinks it's funny to run from me in the middle of target. And I wonder where she learned to say "baby lay down. Help, mama". Yep, she's telling me to the lay the baby down so I can help her. She also has no problem putting her hand up and saying "mama stop" (it's so hard not to laugh!). 

The point is, this stage is amazingly fun...the rate in which Peyton learns something new is unbelievable!

The point is, where as before I found myself saying I was excited for what's next...now I find myself saying "slow down, I'm not done enjoying this stage yet!"  

She's a two year old, with two year old behaviors...many of which are truly "terrible" behaviors...but often times, Bryce and I find ourselves laughing at them...because really, they are more amusing than terrible. And for that, I am thankful for our ability to laugh and enjoy parenthood (most of the time)...because there really is so much to enjoy!

The screamer

I often get asked about the boys personalities. Then I realized pictures of them together explain it all! 

Jensen is crying in all of them and Trevor is just hanging out...Yep!! These pictures pretty accurately explain the boys!

Double the babies/double the snuggles

By far, my favorite part about being a twin mom is seeing my boys snuggle!! I will be so sad when they stop snuggling each other!

Laugh, cry....both?!?!

As the boys have taken over my blog the last several months...I felt that Peyton deserved her own post!  

I have recently found myself stuck between laughing and wanting to cry. At the end of the month Peyton will turn 2....but I assure you, her terrible 2 behaviors are already in full effect. 

Perhaps one of my flaws as a parent is that I laugh when I shouldn't.  And there has been lots to laugh at...or rather lots I shouldn't laugh at, but do, lately. 

Recently we spent several days with my family...and my mom, dad and sisters got to experience a little bit of what my life with Peyton is like. At my parent's house... my mom keeps a nice house...and it is not child proofed in the least! Gorgeous christmas tree covered in glass ornaments, glass coffee table, candle holder surrounded by rocks, candles everywhere, heavy decorative objects....you get the idea!  Within a day at my parents, Peyton tried to pull off and throw several glass ornaments (this was no surprise as she undecorates our Christmas tree all the time, yelling "ball" as she throws the ornaments at the dogs), she repeatedly climbed on top of the glass table and would stand with her hands up in a "tada" stance, she would bang all the lovely decorative objects on the glass tables. The rock filled candle holder had to be put away otherwise Peyton would throw handfuls of rocks everywhere.  Eventually all candles had to be put away because Peyton would scrape them with her fingernail and eat them. Yum!

While at Disney on Ice, my mom and dad were supervising Peyton and said that she literally ran laps around the halls while they chased her. She would blindly run through black curtains...Yep, stairs were on the other side. At target my mom and sister got to experience Peyton's favorite game: I will run from you and laugh the whole time (this is a really fun game when I'm by myself with 3 kids). My mom couldn't believe how active this child is. At home my sister couldn't stop laughing as Peyton would climb on the couch and jump off landing on her butt laughing and saying "butt bomb!"  Or as she would leap from the window bench onto the side of the couch.  It's really hard to tell her "no" while I'm laughing...it kind of takes away from the authoritativeness. 

Yesterday Peyton got into all of the board games (they will now be moved out of reach) and scattered them everywhere!  

She later took her diaper off to reveal a blue game piece stuck between her cheeks...she must have shoved it down her diaper earlier. This was also a foreshadowing of how our night would end....literally minutes before bed time I find that Peyton took off her poopy diaper in my bed!! Poop everywhere...after screaming for Bryce and getting it cleaned up and Peyton to bed all we could do was laugh!!! That one tops our chart for terrible two behaviors...so far!  I'm a bit nervous to see what she'll do once she actually turns 2!!