Thoughts on Twins, part 3

The twins are now 18 months old and Jackson is three and a half. Our house is loud and busy. The boy's personalities are showing through more and more. It is really fun. Here are more of my thoughts on twins:

• The twins still love the bathroom and now have figured out how to lift up the toilet seat to splash their little hands in the water. With two of them, it is almost impossible to get them away from the toilet. The other day I grabbed T-Bone first, quick washed his hands, and put him down in the hallway. Then I grabbed Beck, washed his hands, and turned around to see T-Bone back in the toilet. Fortunately, Heidi heard the commotion and took Beck out so I could clean up T-Bone again. 
• It is interesting to watch their development side by side. Last winter, Beck started crawling first. Poor T-Bone would get left in a room as Beck and Jackson would head off somewhere else. After a while T-Bone finally started crawling and could keep up with his brothers. After many months of crawling, T-Bone started to walk, Frankenstein style, while Beck was still crawling. Soon T-Bone was walking full time and poor Beck was left behind. After months like that, Beck just started walking one day. I guess he was ready. Now T-Bone runs everywhere and Beck only runs when we leave the bathroom door open.
• The twins love danger. We are constantly pulling Beck off of objects that he is standing on, like the kitchen table. In the last few days he has twice made a break for it out of the garage and toward the alley and I only barely got to him before he reached it. They are so busy and quick and there are two of them so there is a constant threat of one of them getting hurt. We have a fenced in front yard and back yard, so that helps, but they still find ways to scare us.
• The twins take care of each other in very sweet ways. If one of them is upset, the other will bring his brother his Lovey (their blankets). Last night Beck was done with his snack and I was getting Jackson something to drink, Beck crawled up on the kitchen table, grabbed a handful of Goldfish crackers and gave them to T-Bone. Lately, when they are done eating, whichever twin is cleaned up first will get the other one's Lovey and bring it to him. Of course, the problem comes when the second twin is not cleaned up yet and wants to grab his Lovey with hands covered in spaghetti sauce. Jackson is also good at making sure his brothers have their Loveys so they are not sad. 
• In the mornings, when I go for my run, I take Jackson and a twin in the double jog stroller. The problem is that one twin gets left behind. Many mornings one is asleep so I take the one who is awake. This morning I snuck into their room and only T-Bone was awake. Unfortunately, he was so excited that he yelled out and woke Beck. It only took a moment for Beck to realize that he was getting left behind because it was T-Bone's turn and he was very sad. I made sure to give him extra cuddles when we got back. When they ride in the stroller, T-Bone just lays there looking bored and Beck points at everything and talks. In little things like that, it is fun to see their personalities coming out.

I sure love my three boys.