Are your kids big into tractors? Mine are. Living in the mid-west we pass tractors on the road all the time as well as see them pass by in front of our house. If they hear the rumble of a tractor they run to the front window to watch it pass by. Not to mention that they always want to go ride on the tractor at their Grandpa and Grandma’s house.
So what do you get when John Deer meets Monster truck? Well Tomy Toys has showed us exactly what you get with their Monster Treads line of toy tractors. Our three year old twin boys got to test this toy out and they love it! Tonight they were driving it up and down ramps in the back yard. Then when we had to come inside they made a ramp by placing their mattress off their bed so they could continue to play with it longer.
There is a push button to activate monster truck sounds that are not obnoxiously annoying. It shakes a fair amount to give a good illusion of a running engine. It requires 3 AAA batteries that are included.
The only thing I wish was different is that when you press the button that it would drive forward a bit for a couple seconds. There are remote control versions of the monster tractors as well and I think as my kids get older I may have to get one of those. Your kids will have so much fun with this toy indoors and out!
The “Treads” are available at Toys R Us and Walmart but today we also have one to giveaway to one of our readers!!! Enter below and we will pick a winner Friday.
“When your newborn twins are going to an event, is it probable that your departure and arrival times will equal or be anywhere near your original estimates? Will you most likely be late for anywhere you go? Bonus points for figuring this out and looking presentable yourself. I have to admit, I was fairly confident this was one math equation I could execute with some accuracy. My husband must have had this same confidence as he actually announced we would be joining him at his work for the “Welcome Twins Party” at 11 am.
Perhaps this confidence was because I could now open the double stroller at will and maneuver it at normal speeds without taking out any small children. I hadn’t even told him I was able to get that monstrosity through two single doors injury free. This was the same stroller that had made us decide that one of us, perhaps even both, would need to return to school to learn the basics of engineering. I am sure many of you can appreciate these (major to us) accomplishments; perhaps you have even shed a tear or done a victory dance possible with many curious observers when you too reached this point. If you are not there yet, please know it will be possible to accomplish without any additional formal schooling. As I began my estimation, I reflected on other recent successes with my twins and household. My personal victory of finally figuring out the correct pressure to release the “easy” drop down rail on the crib without sounding like I was moving the entire house and its contents thrilled me. I had also gone two weeks, even in a sleep deprived state, to remember to put water in the wipe warmer so no wipes turned to a brown color. More
Becoming a teenager is hard. Middle school. The competition. The need to fit in. Add to that the responsibility of being a big brother to twin sisters and you can imagine my surprise when my eldest son, swung open his bedroom door on a Wednesday evening and said, “Mom/Dad, when I move out to go to college, I could probably get a job as a nanny, since I help with the twins.” With a smile, I told him that he wouldn’t want to be called a nanny. “That’s ok,”he said. “I could be called a Manny!” (He was referencing a quirky and lovable pre-teen boy named Manny on the popular television show, Modern Family).
It was right then that I realized that there is no shame in asking for help. For months before the twins were born, I read that new parents of multiples must learn to accept a ‘helping’ hand whenever possible. I didn’t want to believe it, but then it happened to me. The twins arrived, and my family and friends gradually returned to work and their own lives. Guilt ridden, I turned to my son, Zachary. I knew it would be tough teaching Zack, (who was an only child for nine years), how to care for his new newborn sisters so we started out small. First, he helped me prepare their bottles, and then came the change of diapers and until eventually he was helping with almost all the routine tasks. More
A Mother in Utah took potty training to a new level a couple weeks ago. How so? She took the potty training straight to the dining table… in the middle of a crowded deli. That’s right. She took along two potty chairs, one for each of her twin girls, undid their jumpsuits down to their ankles and let them sit on their potties while eating chicken nuggets. How are your children going to learn how to GO TO the potty, if they are not getting up and GOING TO the potty? Children need to learn that there is a time a place to go to the potty and to hold it long enough to make it to a bathroom.
I am potty training my twins at the moment so I know all too well how hard it is when you are in public and your child suddenly tells you “I have to go potty.” Especially if you are all alone with your multiples and there is no one to run interference with the other child/children; you have to drag everyone into the bathroom. Then you have to try to keep your other child/children from touching everything in the bathroom and from unlocking the stall door, all while you are trying to encourage your other child to do their business in this strange environment. If they have previously experienced the loud noise of auto-flushing industrial toilets, they may get apprehensive and then not go after all. But potty training has its setbacks and you have to expect that they will happen. Just go with the flow, even if that flow doesn’t happen in the potty.
So today we will review some guidelines for potty training your kids: More
It was August 14, 2008. The only thing worse than being pregnant in Arizona in the summer is being pregnant with twins during the Arizona summer. So by the time I reached 36 weeks in mid-August I was miserable. Don’t get me wrong, I was thrilled to have made that far without any complications, but I was huge, hot and exhausted. At 36 weeks 5 days the decision was made to induce my labor. The babies and I were both healthy, but for two weeks my blood pressure had been on the high end of normal. I was also very swollen and my doctor felt that the risk me of staying pregnant developing complications outweighed the benefits to the babies. So off to the hospital we went.
The induction started at 10:30 am and I labored without any major complications for the rest of the day and into the night. Around 11:15 pm two things started to happen: my epidural began to wear off and I started to feel my contractions more intensely. I paged the nurse, who determined it was time to push. Now this is when things started getting really interesting. I was determined to deliver vaginally and agreed to deliver in the operating room in case there were complications. The next 15 minutes were a blur as the staff prepared to transfer me. I remember very little of what happened during this time, with one exception. I clearly remember my doctor coming over to my beside for a quick chat with my husband and me. At which point he calmly explained that it was getting close to midnight and there was a real possibility that our twins would be born on two different days, with two different birthdays. Were we ok with this and did we have a preference one way or the other? More
These twin boys are having fun dancing, and then…. just watch… lol
You can send your videos to be featured on our website to Community@Twiniversity.com – YouTube links are preferred but not required. Have a great weekend!
The twinnies and I had the great opportunity to see some great kid films in the past few weeks and I figured I’d give you a heads up and a mini review of each. I know that personally I’m always thinking to myself “Is that a good movie for my monkeys?”. So here goes:
Finding Nemo 3D: (Release Date 9/14/12) This Disney Classic has been dusted off, updated in full 3D splendor allowing Nemo to hover between you and the screen. As always, Pixar goes above and beyond trying to create an extraordinary viewing experience that you and your kids can feel comfortable with. This classic tells the tale of a young fish who journey’s “Past the Reef” gets him captured. As he tries to get back home his father, Marlin, meets up with an unlikely match, Dori, who helps him try to get his son back home.
Should you take the family? Yes. There is nothing better then watching my kids giggle (and even scream in a good way) at the remarkable 3D effects. I always feel safe taking my kids to see a Disney flick. I know it will be fun, exciting, and appropriate, which you can’t say for some other kids movies these days. Disney even throws us a bone and added another Pixar Short into the movie. Partysaurus Rex! The twins LOVE Rex with is tiny arms and were very excited that he has his moment in the sun or the tub in this case. This short alone is worth the price of the crazy 3D prices.
Who should see it? This movie is for ALL ages. There is no minimum age restrictions. This is a pure “G” movie. 3 year old’s and grandparents alike will enjoy this classic story.
Hotel Transylvania: (Release Date 9/28/12) Ok, I admit it. I think I wanted to see this more then the twins. I LOVE the cast, Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Jon Lovitz, Cee Lo Green, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon and David Spade. Seriously, if this team can’t make me laugh, I don’t know who can. Plot: Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler), owner of Hotel Transylvania, a five-star resort for the world’s monsters, invites some of the most famous monsters to celebrate the 118th birthday of his daughter Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez). Unexpectedly visited by an ordinary young traveler named Jonathan (voiced by Andy Samberg), Dracula must protect and rescue Mavis from falling in love with him before it’s too late. More
If you had identical quadruplets, how far would you go to tell them apart? Would you shave their respective birth order number on the tops of their heads? That’s what one family in China did for their 6 year old identical quadruplet boys.
I guess that is one way for teachers, to tell them apart, especially since they have to wear identical uniforms to school. Even their own parents have a hard time telling them apart. Do you think this is a good solution? What would you do to tell your kids apart if in a similar situation? Share your thoughts.
This morning I was laying in my bed and my eyes were wide opened. The clock said 3:34 (yes, that’s AM) and I couldn’t close my eyes and rest. I kept thinking that at this time, on this day, in 2001 everyone was resting sound asleep not knowing the events that would unfold that day.
As most of you know, I’m a native New Yorker. I’m born and raised right here in Little Italy and have never lived out of this area other then for a college internship in Disney. My family arrived here from Italy in 1916, came to this neck of the woods, and never left. If you’ve watched the movie Gangs of New York, you’ll know exactly what my ancestors life was like. I live in what was then the five points area. Now it’s simply called Little Italy and the Italian population is shrinking every year.
The reason I gave you a little “Natalie Diaz history lesson” is because I want you to know that my roots here are deep. Very deep. The life I live here in NYC is not the life you see on New York Housewives on Bravo. I live a very normal life surrounded by family (all in the same building) in my small town that just happens to be the Big Apple.
To say that this day is somber for me is an understatement. Poor Jill this morning got an earful as I vented about this day. Sorry Jill. I just had to get it off my chest. More
Do you have a hard time keeping your twins things apart? Are there arguments over who’s things are who’s? Do you want to make sure your children’s things don’t get lost at school or daycare? Then you need labels! Mabel’s Labels are great for this! Their labels are waterproof and dishwasher safe so they always stay looking fresh.
Let’s see what our Mom Squad has to say about their labels.
Talitha McGuinnes- “Since receiving my labels, I love now knowing that there is never a question of which item belongs to whom. As with any twin set who has identical items, there are always arguments and fights over “that’s mine” without ever really knowing. Have a backpack or lunchbox? There’s a tag for that. Have a pencil box, folders, and pencils? There’s a label for that. There are labels for shoes and clothing, too, which really comes in handy for camps, sleepovers, or for the twins who still wish to dress alike (but clearly want their property respected!). Best of all, these labels are also dishwasher and microwave safe, as I use the labels on my son’s cups for school and don’t have to worry about them peeling off in the wash. These labels make any twin territorial fight a problem solved!”
Jill Marcum- “I love that Mabel’s Labels are are bright and colorful! I can put them on anything since they are waterproof, even dishwasher safe! I put them on the books and toys that the boys love to take with along with them on outings so that if left behind at someones house or in someones car, they will easily find their way back to us. I love them so much that I am ordering some with our family name on them to use on other items as well.”
Natalie Diaz- “I’ve been using Mabel’s Labels for YEARS! I remember the first time I saw them. A fellow mom of twins in preschool had her children’s sippy cups labeled. We talked about how they were dishwasher (and even microwave) safe. I was amazed. Since then we have been hooked. I wrote a previous article about using them on EVERYTHING from my kids shoes, to pencils, to book bags, school books, soccer balls (they stayed on), clothing, and even shampoo bottles! I admit it, I was a little jealous of my kids, so I started using them myself! I have a label on my phone, my keys, my favorite notebook and the kids even put one on my computer mouse.
Our family spreads the love every year and instead of a small gift from the store for my friends kids, I buy them each a set “Loot Bag” labels. I shipped them off with their holiday cards and just added an extra stamp. This year I plan on buying more for the kids birthday party attendees. I’m saying goodbye to the small bags of candy and silly toys and saying hello to something the kids and parents will appreciate. ”
Now is your chance to win a double pack of the Ultimate Back to School Combo pack- This includes 40 Skinny-Minis, 50 Tag Mates, 16 Shoe Labels and 2 Teeny Tags. The winner will be e-mailed a code for 2 free combo packs with free shipping. This code is only good till September 28th so you must use them before that date.
So what do you get when John Deer meets Monster truck? Well Tomy Toys has showed us exactly what you get with their Monster Treads line of toy tractors. Our three year old twin boys got to test this toy out and they love it! Tonight they were driving it up and down ramps in the back yard. Then when we had to come inside they made a ramp by placing their mattress off their bed so they could continue to play with it longer.
There is a push button to activate monster truck sounds that are not obnoxiously annoying. It shakes a fair amount to give a good illusion of a running engine. It requires 3 AAA batteries that are included.
Written by: Toby Amir Fox
Twiniversity 