Things are hard

Things are hard right now.

I am not cut out to be a stay at home parent. This is only day two of Christmas "vacation" and I am losing my ever loving mind. Do you know what is getting me through? Alcohol. Baileys and coffee to be exact.

You might think this is a Down syndrome-is-hard-post. It's not. It's a 3-kids-including-2-two-year-olds-who-have-hit-their-terrible-twos-is-hard-post. However, the "highlight" of the afternoon was trying to get each of my naked 2 years old to pee on the potty. Because I had the bad sense to bring each in individually to allow them some time to sit and focus on the task at hand, Phoenix decided to poor an entire jug of water on the kitchen floor and encouraged the twin who was not with me to help her trash the front hallway.

And before someone gets all judgey and thinks "Well, that's what you get when you have DS". That is not my reality AT ALL.

It seems like every single day the twins do something that make me shake my head and think "your sister NEVER did that when she was that age". And she didn't. She was a great 2 year old and a great 3-5 year old. So while Phoenix was a spectacular only child, I'd say being a sibling doesn't often bring out the best in her. Except in moments like today when she shared her small stack of advent chocolate with her sisters and with me. That was surprisingly selfless.

Having 2 two year olds is such hard work. There is crying and screaming and hitting and pulling hair. Every day. Of course there are nice moments here and there. When they cuddle with me in the couch or lean in for a hug and kiss. But parenting right now is a lot more work than it is fun.

It's hard not only because there are 2 going through this stage, but there are 2 who are so much harder than their older sister was. So having her in NO WAY prepared me for having them.

Here they are on top of the kitchen table. I was hoping they couldn't take off the clothe diapers but no such luck

Phoenix wearing her party dress

Ash and Wren peering through the child  safe gate at the top of the stairs. Note the sleepers on backwards to keep them from taking them off at night. 

The only nice pictures I could get in their party dresses 

Phoenix practising her home reading. 

The odd time where Wren (L) and Ash are wearing matching shirts