With the weather getting better, we've been spending more time outside. Sunday, for example, we went to the zoo before nap and the park/playground after nap. It was great! We went with another family in our neighborhood too. They have a 1 1/2 year old girl, and my kids really enjoy her. So, that was nice.
On a non-zoo related note, the girls will be 2 in 3 weeks!!!!!!!! Holy Cow!! Or maybe I mean holy fits. I don't know if the old wives tale of the Terrible Two's is true or not, but I can tell you that I've witnessed two of the most horrible displays of behavior out of my girls in the last 10 days. Both times have been when I've been trying to get exercise with another mother in the neighborhood with them in the stroller. So, I guess they may not really like stroller rides. And I figured that out last summer (that they won't sit still for that long), so I hadn't tried taking them on long walks in a while. But, I need to walk! So, I figured I'd try again this summer. It was going well. I've been doing this for a few weeks now.
However, one day last week, Nicole had a MELT DOWN. And then yesterday, it was Kaitlyn. We're talking full on fits. It's horrible. And both times we weren't exactly close to the house since we were on a walk. With Nicole, we were closer to my friend's house, so we got there and she drove us home with the girls (cause one sets off the other) screaming the whole way home. AH! We got home and Nicole proceeded to throw herself on the kitchen floor and keep crying. Well, my only ace in the hole is Finding Nemo. I put that DVD on and it was like MAGIC!!! I don't want to rely too much on TV, but this was a Code Red.
With Kaitlyn yesterday, it was all I could do just to get us home. I'd say it was 1/2 and 1/2 who's house we were closer to, so I just decided to try to book it home myself. Kaitlyn wouldn't even sit in the stroller, so I tried to carry her (and that's not easy while I still have to push Nicole). That didn't work, so I tired to walk with her. That didn't work. And while she's throwing her fit walking with me, she throws herself to the pavement to cry - and quickly gets up and says "hot." :-) Go figure the pavement on a bright sunny day is hot! She walked to a shaded area of the pavement and then threw herself down again. (Smart kid going for the shade.) I mean, she was laying face down like road kill in the street (a col-de-sac where I was watching for cars, so she was safe). Am I a horrible parent? So, I had to strap her in the stroller - waist strap and the shoulder straps, which we NEVER use. AND...it gets worse. So, I said that one sets the other off. Well, Nicole wasn't "crying" yesterday, but Kaitlyn's fit made Nicole want to hit and bite her. I had to strap Nicole all the way in too just so she couldn't lean over and bite Kaitlyn. What a mess. We got in the door and I went straight for Nemo. Whew...sweet relief.
Oh, and all of this began because I ran out of crackers on my walk. I only brought one tiny bag. Mike doesn't like me to give them food when I walk. We may have to re-negotiate that or I'll never get another walk in my life. Moms: weigh in here...do you give your kids snacks to sit still in the stroller. I swear I'm not the only one, but I'd like to know.
And that, my friends, is why we've decided on the Finding Nemo party. They LOVE it (as does Mommy...what a life saver).
The bounce house (thanks for the loan Brad and Ceylese) was a HUGE hit! I think we're going to have to buy one. Despite the temperature, the kids didn't care. We put a fan up next to it though so it was blowing some air in there for them. 
