My day usually starts with having to rush into their room after one has upset the other, and when they go to bed, they often argue until they . . . → Read More: Sticks and stones…]]> As much as I’m loving the rapid development in the twins’ speech and language, it has a major downside. If they can find something to disagree about, they will.

My day usually starts with having to rush into their room after one has upset the other, and when they go to bed, they often argue until they fall asleep. I never imagined how much they could upset each other at such a young age by using only their words. They can be strapped into their car seats and still they can wind each other up to the point of hysterical tears.

They argue over whether they like apples or bananas. They argue about who owns the box of Weetabix. They argue about whether the top should be left on or off the milk. They argue about whether it’s going to rain or not. Or whether they want it to rain or not. They argue over who the moon belongs to. They argue about whether they have a wet or a dirty nappy. They argue about whether they should have their nappy changed. They argue about who should have their nappy changed first. They argue about whether the other one is too close when they’re having their nappy changed.

They argue about who goes out of the front door first. They argue about who goes into the car first. They argue about who will get out of the car first. They argue about whether or not we should listen to music in the car. They argue about whether we should sing in the car. They argue about what song we should sing in the car. They argue about whether we should stop singing.

If one requests to watch a certain television programme, the other will immediately ask for something different. If one asks for the yellow cup, the other will immediately ask for the same yellow cup. Their favourite thing to argue about is whose mummy I am. “My mummy!” “No! MY mummy!”

Today they had argued so much that they ran out of topics to debate, and in desperation they resorted to just shouting “My! My! My!” at each other.

My ears are still ringing.

This post is written for the Multiple Mayhem carnival. If you’ve got a post, send the link to Mari at Mari’s World by the end of the week.

This week:

The twins have just gone to bed (in their shared . . . → Read More: THIS WEEK’S: Twin Peak]]> Introducing a new regular for the blog… Twin Peaks – a celebration of the best twin moment from the Young house each week. It could be a snippet of conversation, a funny incident, a picture or a video, but it’ll be something that made me smile.

This week:

The twins have just gone to bed (in their shared room). Fonz is crying and I’m coming up the stairs, ready to go in to see him. I overhead Ez saying: “No crying Fonz. Let’s do singing instead? Baa baa black sheep?”

I’ve been suffering from a bit of writer’s block, which combined with the common . . . → Read More: Back to basics]]> This poor old blog feels very neglected right now and it makes me sad that it’s in hibernation, or possibly that it’s been cryogenically frozen in the hope that one day, someone might have an inkling how to bring it back to life.

I’ve been suffering from a bit of writer’s block, which combined with the common problem of a lack of brain space and time, isn’t conducive to the most scintillating of blog posts.

Delving a little deeper into the reasons behind my writer’s block, I think I’ve become a little disenchanted with blogging, and got hung up on wanting to write for you, the reader, rather than for myself. Back in 2009, the idea behind this blog, before I had any conception of the fantastic community blogging would introduce to me, was to use this space an online diary to preserve my own memories and to share them with family and friends. I wanted to chart the milestones and the minutiae of life with Ez and Fonz. I wanted to have a means of marking when they first slept through the night, started crawling, took their first steps, said their names for the first time. Most of all, I wanted to remember, driven by an all-consuming, crushing fear that I would forget these amazing and yet so fleeting moments in an important time in my life.

But I’ve become so worried about what people might or might not like to read that a lot of the posts that this blog was meant to provide a happy and welcoming home for have gone unwritten in fear of boring the reader. And I think, in order to fall back in love with this little place on the web, I must remember my original aims when it was born. Hopefully it will help me find my mojo, and I’ll reclaim my blog for me.

And I won’t be pretending to be anything but me. If that’s dull, so be it. If it’s self-absorbed, so be it. My life isn’t full of drama, it’s not full of glamour, it’s not full of genius. But it’s my life, and do you know what? I kind of like it.

Every year for as long as I can remember, come New Year’s Day, I have resolved to be more patient.

But this year it isn’t on my list. Because for the first time ever, I think I have got my impatience under control and within acceptable levels. In fact, a number of people over the course of . . . → Read More: Have a little patience]]>

Every year for as long as I can remember, come New Year’s Day, I have resolved to be more patient.

But this year it isn’t on my list. Because for the first time ever, I think I have got my impatience under control and within acceptable levels. In fact, a number of people over the course of this year have actively remarked how calm and patient I am. And for me, this is no small achievement.

I’ve gone through life being impatient. Tapping my toe, waiting for the next big thing. Huffing with frustration if I had even a short wait in a queue or for a bus. Unable to ever sit still, because I want it done, and I want it done now.

I really do believe that becoming a mother, and in particular, becoming a mother of twins, is to thank for forcing me to become more patient. It’s taken the arrival of two entirely uncontrollable and unpredictable creatures into my life to push me to make a change, and to find a way to deal with my impatience.

Fonz  has always been very sensitive to the moods of those around him. From a very early age, he was like a little barometer – detecting any trace of stress, anxiety and anger in his vicinity. It didn’t help us in those early days when he and I so struggled with breastfeeding. No matter how calm and relaxed I tried to appear on the surface, I never once fooled him.

And so I learned control and patience. I learned to keep my tone calm. I learned to take a deep breath, and if possible, smile.

I am not for one second suggesting I am some zen master who never raises her voice or snaps at her children, but compared to the person I was before I had kids I have come a very, very long way. And so I’m writing this to give myself a little pat on the back. And to remind myself to try really hard to keep it up.

Anyone who knows me will tell you I have a bit of a thing for letters. I’ve loved fonts and lettering for years – my most favourite book of all time was a lettering book that showed you how to draw lots of different fonts. I still have it. And I can . . . → Read More: WIN! A Bombay Duck aluminium letter]]> THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED!

Anyone who knows me will tell you I have a bit of a thing for letters. I’ve loved fonts and lettering for years – my most favourite book of all time was a lettering book that showed you how to draw lots of different fonts. I still have it. And I can remember my Nanna teaching me calligraphy, and my obsession writing it absolutely everywhere.

Now I’m all grown up, my love of letters hasn’t waned. My home is full of lettering – I have wooden blocks with letters on, vintage alphabet stamping blocks, colourful 3D letters, and I spent two years completing this gorgeous Emily Peacock tapestry that spells out KISS.

Maybe it’s tied in with my love of the written word, but I think it’s more visual than that. I love the shape of letters, and the beauty of different fonts. Fonts can evoke such powerful memories and such a sense of history and place. The style of a letter immediately gives you a sense of time and style. Big, bold, modern letters. Beautiful cursive scripts. Industrial-style stencilling.

When Bombay Duck, a company with a fantastic selection of gorgeously bright home accessories and gifts that I’ve been a fan of for years, offered me the chance to host a giveaway before Christmas, their stunning aluminium letters were the first things I thought of. Worth £24.50 each, these solid cast aluminium alphabet letters are a beautiful way to add a personal touch to any room. They’d make a perfect Christmas gift, or keep them for yourself as a treat.

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment before Monday 19 December. The winner will be selected at random, and as long as I have your full details by 20 December you should get your letter before Christmas.

This competition is now closed, and the lucky winner was Muddling Along.

Miss Leslieanne is taking orders for her beautiful personalised decs until the end of this week, so if you’re interested, click here to head over to . . . → Read More: Decorations to treasure]]> Just a quickie today, but I wanted to show you these gorgeous tree decorations that the clever and crafty Miss leslieanne over at Kooky Boutique made for us.

Miss Leslieanne is taking orders for her beautiful personalised decs until the end of this week, so if you’re interested, click here to head over to her site!

So I thought I’d help myself out by starting a new blog. That’s surely the answer to all my problems?

Growing Spaces is a blog about family-friendly interiors, with a running commentary . . . → Read More: Blowing my own trumpet]]> I moan mention quite a lot that I’m busy, right? I complain that I don’t have time to blog. That I can’t keep up.

So I thought I’d help myself out by starting a new blog. That’s surely the answer to all my problems?

Growing Spaces is a blog about family-friendly interiors, with a running commentary on how we’re trying to turn our new house in Berkshire into a home that’s both stylish and practical for a young family, plus advice, tips and shopping ideas along the way. Here I am, explaining what it’s all about.

So why not head over, have a browse of the videos that are up there already (it launched in September but I’ve only just realised I probably should have blogged about it on Young & Younger), maybe like the facebook page, and feel free to subscribe if you like what you see.

And next time I moan about being busy, feel free to be short of sympathy….