When Elliot was 12 months old, I found out that not only was I pregnant again, but that there were two little heartbeats, as the technician put it, pointing to the two flashing little stars on the screen. Once I had calmed down from my initial hysterical laughter (ultrasound tech: You’re taking this very well. A lot of women cry when they find out it’s twins. Me: Um, this is hysterics. I have a one-year-old and you’re telling me I’ve having two more?), I worried about how this would affect my precious child. We were so close. Would adding two needy tiny infants to the mix ruin his life?
As it turns out, it probably saved him from being spoiled through too much attention. And he still managed to get plenty of notice. But that’s not the point of my post.
We decided that whenever possible, Donn would take Elliot with him when he ran errands, so that Elliot could have a “special time” with Daddy. And as the twins got older, they started getting their own one-on-one times with me or Donn. We figured this was a good way to ensure that each of our 3, so close in age, got some personalized attention. We do not call these “dates” because that is a creepy term to describe taking your own child somewhere. And I have really fond memories of the various times we’ve managed to get them in throughout the years—it will come as no surprise to learn that we are not hyper-organized in this, as in anything. We do them sporadically, once or twice a year, rather than the once or twice a month originally visualized.
This too-long introduction is simply to highlight some of the pics Ilsa took on a recent outing with her dad. She took my camera.
first, they went out for pizza
then, they wandered around, photographing each other…
going into interesting-looking shops…
photographing interesting-looking people on the street…
Ilsa coveted these tights and shoes…
and then they got back in the car…
and came home.
12 comments
May 19, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Rachel
I was just thinking I would love those tights when I read the next line. They would go great with her cowboy boots. 🙂
May 19, 2011 at 4:29 pm
Jennifer, Snapshot
Love it!!
And I agree that dates is a little creepy. We call it “boy time” when Kyle goes out with Daddy, and Girl time when Amanda and I are hanging out. I’m not sure what we call it when it’s opposite sex, but that happens too.
May 19, 2011 at 11:15 pm
Linda
I enjoyed that little photo essay. Looks like fun.
May 20, 2011 at 4:20 am
Antique Mommy
What a great eye she has for composition! Nice pics!
Your story makes me think of AD’s granny who had three young kids and then two sets of twins, back to back. And no running water. I dunno how she did it.
May 20, 2011 at 4:36 am
Louise
Carl and I try to ensure that our two, only nineteen months apart, get special, out-of-the-house, one-on-one time with each of us occasionally. It’s good for them, and fun for us, as it reminds us that hey, our kids really are individuals, not just a unit here to drive us insane! Nice to see how something like this might look in ten years or so, when they are older.
(Antique Mommy, that story is crazy. My neighbors, growing up, had nine kids with two sets of twins in the mix, but they at least had running water.) And the twins had four singles in between them, so things were a little more evenly spaced.)
May 20, 2011 at 5:58 am
Megan S.
Well done Ilsa! Your parents must be so proud.
May 20, 2011 at 7:15 am
Debbie Johnson
At the risk of making Donn jealous, I loved this little photo essay! Good job, Ilsa!
May 20, 2011 at 7:41 am
LIB
Every time I see a picture of Donn in his barret I’m reminded of the fact that wearing it ’causes’ him to speak with a ridiculous French accent.:)
BTW, those tights ARE pretty cool.
May 20, 2011 at 10:06 am
Kris
Ilsa shows some definite artistic accumen in her photos. Any aspirations to follow in her father’s footsteps? 🙂
And I would like to know HOW my brother manages to stay so thin when I know he doesn’t spend a lot of time particularly trying to keep his figure?!
May 20, 2011 at 12:11 pm
Kit
Love Ilsa’s taste in tights! I has some a bit like those back in the 80s… hang on maybe I still have them tucked away somewhere!
May 20, 2011 at 6:07 pm
planetnomad
Lib, it wasn’t Donn who broke into the dorky “french” accent but other men. See proof here: https://planetnomad.wordpress.com/2008/01/13/when-i-am-an-old-woman-i-shall-wear-black-and-be-bossy/
May 21, 2011 at 2:18 am
snacks from the cruise buffet
Great eye, Ilsa!!! And I love those tights.