My Little Pony

See you can have two kids, exactly the same age, doing exactly the same thing, yet they can each have a completely different experience. Ha!

This is Rowan and Evelyn at school today. They had Pony Picture Day. We were a little worried they wouldn't like the ponies after they refused to ride on one at the Renaissance Festival. However, we have ordered a pony to come to their birthday in a couple of weeks so we were hopeful they would have a change of heart.

Rowan seems to be having a good time. She so loves any animal. Her first laugh was at dogs playing and she walks around the house with her "babies" two little stuffed animals. She looks like a little Texan cowgirl.

Evelyn...not so much. She likes animals all right. She'll pet a cat, or pull on a tail, but I can just see her telling her teacher, "no way am I getting on that pony." What this new teacher doesn't realize is that Evelyn will never forget that she made her do it and will hold it against it her. Its true. She may only be two, but she doesn't forget anything.

Gardening

Evelyn was mowing the yard this morning with her toy mower. All the rain has made the grass green and long. Now that the weather is nice, the girls are wanting to be outside all the time.

They planted seeds last week in an indoor plant starter tray, so every day they want to water it and stare at the new sprouts. We have decided to create a little garden for the girls by the house in the former dog run. Inspired by the "Secret Garden," its their own little area to have tea parties and play.

It sounds weird that it was the previous owner's dog run, but the area is about 18' x 13' with a fence and gate around it. Its close enough to the house that you can see and hear the girls from the living room and kitchen. And its lightly shaded--a big plus in warmer weather.

We planted Tangerine Beauty, a trumpet cross vine, along the fence. Next, we will replace the grass with a soft Zoysia, install some nice plants along the borders, and some little garden statutes, a child size bench, maybe a little table set.

In another area of the yard, Andre is preparing to level the ground so he can install their new playscape. Its not "new" new. Just new to us, but its really nice and I know the girls are going to love having their own playset.

Playing Together

Here's a picture of Rowan and Evelyn playing this evening. This little stroller is for dolls, but they were taking turns pushing each other around the house in it, occasionally chasing the dogs.

They play so well together. It is one of the most wonderful things about twins--their ability to share, to play, and to think of one another. Sure there are times when it's "me" and "mine,"just like any toddler; but so often I witness them playing together in ways that other kids their age aren't doing yet.

I have read that small children will become attached to a transitional object--a doll, or blankie, or stuffed animal. It is something that makes them feel safe and happy. Yet for twins their transitional object is the other twin.

That being said,they don't always play so great with other kids. We took them to the park the other day and Rowan was very insistent that she was not going to let this little boy play on the playscape with her and Evelyn. Rowan stood at the stairs with Evelyn behind her, pointed her little finger at the boy and said, "no" in her cute baby voice.