Asleep at the wheel... No, really

Our apologizes for what again seems to be a long interlude from one of our favorite things to do... Bragging about our girls on this blog.

The good news is that we have a classic story to share about Braelyn and Gwendolyn as they have transitioned into toddler beds. A little while ago, Mom finally got Dad to agree that it was time for the girls to get out of their cribs. Unfortunately for Dad, that meant that he had to acknowledge the fact that his girls were getting older.



"Big-Girl Beds" Take One



Initially, we only had one toddler bed set up so we laid the other mattress on the floor in the same footprints where their cribs had been. However, that did not last long. Braelyn would always decide to "explore" at night thanks to her newly found freedom and quickly would cram herself into the toddler bed with Gwendolyn.

Wait, I want to be in bed with Gwendolyn

So, we tried moving Braelyn's mattress immediately next to Gwendolyn's bed in hopes that their closeness would dissuade Braelyn from squeezing next to her sister.

Unfortunately, it did not!

Yep, this is much more comfortable!

So, the next thing we did was to finally incorporate Braelyn's own toddler bed into the equation. That too did not work.

Our typical evening ritual now involves brushing teeth, saying our prayers and having the girls squeeze into the same bed, leaving one whole toddler bed vacant, so that Mom can sing "Rock-a-bye Baby" three times to Gwendolyn. (Don't ask but if Mom doesn't sing that song, and do so three times, it isn't pretty. Repetition really is such a crazy thing).



Ah, how about TWO "Big-Girl Beds" right next to one another?



However, the strangeness of the girls' transition into toddler beds doesn't stop there. The interesting part is that Braelyn lately "comforts" her sister when they first lay down for sleep at night. Apparently, it takes Braelyn a little while to wind down and get settled for sleep. Of course her no-where-near-identical twin is agitated by this fact because she tends to instantaneously be ready to sleep (following a solid 30-second cry, that is).

At some point of the night about every evening, the girls slip out of their beds with pillows, blankets and stuffed animals in hand so that they sleep flush to the floor.

Of course you prefer to sleep on the floor at night!

We have no idea why but they seem to sleep best when they are on the carpeted floor.

Of course, not even a regular sleep ritual and be a simple affair for the Castellanos.

Playtime at our table!

One good result of the transition out of cribs is that the girls have a little extra space in their room now. So, Mom moved their play table in there and the girls typically sit there and entertain themselves.

Well, we'll let you go for now... Talk to you all soon!!!

Our Easter Photo Album

We had a fabulous Easter thanks to good weather and, more importantly, good family. Nana Castellano visited and we spent most of the day at Grandma McKee's with our cousins. Here's some of our favorite photos for that incredible day!

Braelyn and Gwendolyn open their Easter Baskets

Braelyn in her Easter hat blowing bubbles for Gwendolyn

Family picture time

Mom and her girls

Gwendolyn pulls out her fake smile for this photo with Dad while Braelyn is more concerned with her Easter Egg haul

A little sisterly tag-team during the family Easter Egg Hunt

It's Been WAY Too Long!!!

Gwendolyn uses her "doctor" play set to check sissy's ears

Hi there! Remember us!!?? Sorry, it's been awhile since our last post... Can't believe that St. Patrick's was our last entry. Daddy is our usual author of the blog (as you know), but we have somehow been very busy lately! Go figure. So, Momma decided to step in as "guest blogger" again. There really have been a few things going on that I wanted to get into "print" so to speak. 

The girls outside in their play house

First off, we have 2 1/2 year olds! Can you believe it? They really are growing up fast. And TOO fast I might add. Braelyn is fully potty trained. She really caught onto it very quickly. Our wonderful daycare provider "Miss Tracy" kind of got us started and talked me into the fact that Brae really was ready. I don't think I gave her nearly enough credit! It really only took her a little less than a week to not have accidents anymore. She's of coarse had a few "oopsies" here and there, but she even naps in panties and wakes up dry most nights. 

Gwendolyn's update is that she has really started getting around very independently in her little walker. We have a little family tradition of going out to breakfast every Saturday morning. It's a small tradition I know, but I personally look forward to this all week. It's great to get out as a family and the girls do really well when we eat out. Anyway, I digress. ;) One Saturday we were going into Cracker Barrel and decided that we would let Gwendolyn try and walk in on her own with her walker. She did it!! I was certain she would set one foot in the little Country Store, see all those people and panic. She really isn't a fan of people she doesn't know, especially when they come in crowd form. But our little girl ROCKED it! She walked all the way from the car, through the store, and to our seat! That was the beginning of her independence. She now walks into every restaurant we go to. It may take us a bit longer because she needs to stop and examine everything on her way, but she gets there! And ALL by herself! We are very proud of the progress she has made. 

Going down the slide

The girls have also been talking a lot! It's hilarious the things they say, or even just how they say things. Here are a few of my favorite. But they really do lose some of the humor in the translation. ;) You need to picture these things said with 2 1/2 year old voices. 

Playing in their sand table

Braelyn:

Walks into any store, Target, Michaels, Hy-Vee, Home Depot, you name it and says, "Ooooooo.....It's SOOOOO Prettttttttyyyyyy!!!" This morning I walked out in a dress to wear to work, (I rarely wear dresses) and she said, "Ooooo....Momma!! You Soooooo Pretttttyyyy!!!!" 

I bought Chuck, I mean the girls, a stuffed KU Jayhawk at a consignment sale last weekend. The girls didn't see it when I brought it home, but the next morning Braelyn walked out and saw it and said, "Daddy's Yay-Awk!!"  We still have no idea how she knew it was called a Jayhawk. 

Braelyn has been pretty quick to learn numbers. She counts all the way up to 12 very clearly. She really counts to 15, but it gets questionable after 12. It goes something like this..."1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..10..11..12..bootee....bootee...bootee. Cutest thing EVER!!!

Gwendolyn:

Gwendolyn likes to feel as if she is in control. She's kind of stubborn like her dad. ;) We were at church and Chuck was going to take Gwen up for communion with him. He kept telling her that we were going to go up and "see" Jesus. They were heading toward the door to go into the sanctuary and Gwen turned around to Braelyn, slapped her little thigh and said, "Bay-lyn Come!!!! Bay-lyn JESUS!!!" 

We think that Gwen has really started to pick up our dialect. She was trying to talk to me while I was carrying her and walking the other day. I guess I wasn't paying much attention to her because she grabbed me by my cheeks, turned my head and said, "Look at me!!" Where do you think she got that from? ;)

Anyway, there's much more I could write, but I will save it for the next post. Hopefully you will get your usual author back soon!! ;)