Happy 1st Birthday Party!

Lots of dreaming. Lots of planning. Lots of lists.

Add in a little disbelief.

Not too fancy. Not too frilly.

But full of love and detail!

I wanted something super special for our little miracle twins 1st birthday celebration.

A party that centered completely around them!

Being surrounded by many of the people who prayed for their survival and have supported us over the past year. 

I remember missing parts of Addie's 1st birthday party, either in pictures or because I was taking pictures. And I knew I sure couldn't capture the memories I wanted with two birthday girls. So our friend Lori came and took pictures for us. She did a fabulous job, capturing the details and the people. She made sure she got a picture with the twins and each grandparent. I am so thankful for her talent and for the wonderful blessings she's given us in pictures in addition to allowing me to be the mom at the girl's party!

We have very few family-of-five pictures. There is a reason for that. Turning 3 has not changed that...much. No amount of bribing, begging, punishing, avoiding, or ignoring helps; but I'm determined that the pictures will be taken to show the reality as it is.

Buried faces and all.

And I love this one!

My sweet friend Anna once again helped me create the girl's birthday banner! Its so much fun (for me) to hang it up and see (in words) the reason for our celebrating!

The balloon wreath here is pretty special. Not because of the colors or because it took a ridiculous number of balloons and an equally ridiculous amount of time to create, but because the wooden initials in the center also hung on the girl's hospital door when they were born.

And here we are a year later!

This celebration was extra special because each of the grandparents (and my aunt!) were able to attend, except Gramma's husband Papa Al. I was a little concerned that Addie's head just might explode with so many people she loves, but she handled it pretty well considering! :)

(Gramma, Grandpa and Ms. Gail, Rie Rie and Nana, Mama Pat and Papa Ray)

Making/obtaining 2 of everything wasn't twice the work. As my mom says, it's three times the work! But it was so much fun to get everything coordinated, decorated, created and see it all come together!

I could say I made the cakes, but that would be untrue. I had so much help either directly or indirectly with the preparation for this party that I'd say it at least took the efforts of 5 people to create all of this! The initials on the cakes were done like the initials on the cookies below. I found Bake at 350 a very helpful read on this subject! I read about making party hats from this blog. Of course I made mine a little differently, but it's the general idea. I knew I wanted special bibs for the girls, so I jumped on etsy.com and found a seller who had designs that I liked. The SeamsSoSweet owner was amazing to work with: located and custom ordered the fabric and made the bibs complete with the girls names just for them!

After a yummy lunch of bbq, spring pasta salad and fruit, it was time for cake!

And a picture with everyone!

(first row: Thomas, Mandy, Cady, Gramma, Uncle Jay, Kira, Elijah Brooks, Jay (aka Mr. Steve), Ellie and Tyler. standing/second row: Anna, baby Kennedy, Papa Ray, Mama Pat, Nana, Rie Rie, Mommy, Daddy, Addie, Grandpa, Ms. Gail, Erin, Tim, and Diane)

Right after we put the cakes down, Lori snapped this picture. I think it's one of my favorites because they are looking at each other. 

The smash cakes had fondant dots on them to match the bigger cake. Addie had a few and then we let the other big kids taste them at well. But this is what the little girls thought about it!

Don't take my cake!

Anne Perry had a BLAST with her cake (kinda like she did with her cupcake!). She really hammed it up for the camera. A sign of things to come? Who knows, but this little girl had a blast!

On the other hand, Audrey Kate wasn't as eager to get messy and eat sugar. She was much happier with me holding her or at least not being in that highchair in front of that sticky mess! She looks like such a big girl sitting in Addie's chair!

But when we sat them both down next to Anne Perry's cake, they both seemed to continue to enjoy themselves!

They were stripped down, sticky, got a bath...and then we decided to do one more picture. It just so happens these next few turned out to be some of my favorite!

They just look so happy!

Of course what's a party without party favors?

I found a super yummy sugar cookie recipe at Our Best Bites and a fun new way to add initials to iced cookies without having to freehand them at Bake at 350 !

Completely imperfect in design but completely perfect for our party!

And just in case you haven't seen enough of our little girls, here's a video started by Daddy, finished by Ms. Gail, and edited a little by me!

For me, this day was perfect. I'm pretty sure our little girls enjoyed it just a little bit too. Although they won't remember their 1st birthday or anything much surrounding it, I hope these pictures (and words) provide them with good memories, even if they aren't their own.

There isn't much I could say about these little girls that I haven't already said over the past year. They are simply amazing. Completely amazing in my book. Little people with some big fight in them.  A tremendous blessing to those who know them.

And a testimony to God's goodness.

Blessed Be The Name!

Happy Birthday Anne Perry and Audrey Kate! We love you!!!

10 Months

I'm back tracking again.

I guess that's kinda the story of my life right now.

The little girls turned 10 months old over 2 months ago. I was determine to get their 10 and 11 month posts up before they turn 1! Fail. But that's ok.

By the way, I'm in denial that they just turned one! Maybe that's why I'm so far behind?

So...this is all about what our little girls were doing over 2 months ago, at 10 months. 11 month post to come. 12 month post to come too! 

At 10 months, our little girls really started moving!

Audrey Kate has been crawling since mid-February, and she decided pulling herself up and cruising around holding onto things would be her 10 month goal! Nothing is safe now!

Anne Perry can finally go from a laying to a sitting position, and she's decided crawling wasn't much of a priority up until now (remember, this is 10 months, not the present!). So she's taken off! She's started out almost sliding her knees across the floor instead of moving them though, which kinda creates a pretty cute little shake.

And verbally? Everyone comments how Anne Perry must be the more verbal one (and you know how I just love it when complete strangers compare the girls). But the truth is, Anne Perry is just flat out loud! She will be heard (over an entire table of people or an entire restaurant of people!). Audrey Kate speaks up when she has something to say, and there's inflection and stops and starts and new sounds daily.

Both girls love to say Mama and Dada; but despite my urging Anne Perry doesn't say Mama often.
Me: say Mama; Anne Perry: Dada...probably 95% of the time! But somehow she's remained a pretty big Mama's girl!

Both girls love to take objects out of and put objects back into containers. Anything and everything. Balls. Blocks. Little people.

Both girls have also really started to wave (at more appropriate times). Anne Perry waves primarily at herself while Audrey Kate is mastering her pageant girl/royal princess wave. Really.

I lost count of how many rounds of antibiotics, ear infections, and legitimate trips to the doctor we've had this month. I think between the two of them they've had 5-6 ear infections. Anne Perry has been on 5 rounds of antibiotics (two of which we had to discontinue because she was allergic to them...just like her mama) and finished three. Audrey Kate has been on two or three rounds...in a month people and that didn't even factor Addie in!
Both girls also love to snuggle. Audrey Kate will lay her head on my shoulder and just love on me. Anne Perry will bury her head in your chest to get her loving and loves to pat you on the arm or back. It's amazing how much they love and crave affection and can now reciprocate it. It simply melts my heart when they do this and makes me just hold my breath and take it all in for those brief moments.

So there is a quick recap of our girls at 10 months old. I had most of it recorded in my phone (since I cant keep up with lists on paper), so most of it is pretty on target for their age then.

What continues to amaze me are these pictures. Take a look at their one month picture and then jump to their 10 month picture! Oh how far too fast this first year flies! I wish I had been able to be more consistent with {how} these pictures were taken as much as {where} they were taken! But once again, sometimes I have to function in survival mode more than I'd like to admit!

Their personalities came out so much in these 10 month pictures!



Oh how we love these little girls. Their smiles and laughs just brighten your day!

As always! More to come!

Crayons

I don't know about yall, but somehow we have ended up with quite a few pieces of little crayons.

I'm sure some of them could be attributed to Abbey, but I'm pretty sure Miss Addie played a role in their destruction use too.

But I just couldn't bring myself to throw them away because I'd seen other people do this:

So we saved them. And saved them. And finally pulled all the paper off and broke them into tiny pieces and melted them in the oven.

To create these:

And Miss Addie-boo loves them!

I think it might be worth accidentally ruining my muffin pan for that!

Addie's Spring Program

Last week, ok really, the week before, Addie's mother's morning out had a spring program.

Over 60 children. Over 60 young 3 year old children. All on risers. On a stage.

No one ran off the stage. Only one or two cried. No one fell off the risers. And only one or two yell-sang instead of singing voice sang.

I'd say that's pretty impressive!

Ms. Deborah (Addie's teacher last year) offered to let the little girls stay with her in the baby room so Paul and I could watch the program. I took pictures and he took video, neither of which we'd have been able to do while holding a child. So thankful!

I told Addie beforehand that I would be taking pictures...but not of her. Just of her friends. All I can say is that it worked. And there was not a single picture I got that didn't have a friend in it either! So I was truthful. I just cropped them all out to post here. :)

As they walked up on stage and sat down, I could feel myself fighting back a few tears. She looked so big. Too big. So independent. I'd have it no other way. I am so proud of her. As time has gone by, we have loved every most new phases and stages, but there will always be that part of me that will miss those days gone by.

They said the Pledge of Allegiance and sang Red, White, and Blue (which you may remember from here).

Addie pretty much started out like this. Can we say deer in headlights?

They sang: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, the Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock, If You're Happy and You Know It, Eency Weency Spider, Jesus Loves Me, John 3:16, and the ABC's Song.

She actually sang and did the motions too!

But my favorite has to be Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee:

I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee.
Wont my mommy be so proud of me?
I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee.
Ouch! It stung me!

I'm squishing up my baby bumblebee.
Wont my mommy be so proud of me?
I'm squishing up my baby bumblebee.
Eew! It's yucky!

I'm wiping off my baby bumblebee.
Wont my mommy be so proud of me?
I'm wiping off my baby bumblebee.
Now my mommy won't be mad at me!

See her bumblebee in her hands?

And then they sang God Our Father, which is actually a blessing, for their last song. It was so sweet!

Afterwards, they had a party! Addie was clearly ready to get to the party, but I at least got one picture with her and Daddy! (she's holding up 3 fingers because she is 3 years old, just in case you missed that :)

We (Paul) did manage to get most of it on video. Unfortunately, it cut off right as they were starting the Bubblebee song! It's pretty long (almost 10 minutes), but I'm posting it for the grandparents and Nana (and of course whoever else wants to watch it ;)

This school year has marked a lot of milestones for our girl. Lots of growing up. Lots of transitions and change. Her teachers loved her through it all, and for that, we will be eternally grateful to them!

Next year, she'll be in real preschool! Slow down big girl, slow down!

P-A-R-T-Y

Today was the twins' 1st birthday P-A-R-T-Y!

They were surrounded by grandparents, family, and friends.

And a sweet photographer friend who took ALL the pictures.

That's right people. I didn't even pick up my camera.

I enjoyed the day. Enjoyed the girls. Enjoyed the friends and fellowship.

And enjoyed being actively engaged and involved in the whole party instead of attempting to capture all the memories.

p.e.r.f.e.c.t.

So I have not a single picture of the day for you right now. But when I do, have no fear, there will be a huge post!

There were smash cakes and party hats, a birthday cake, cookies, banners, birthday dresses, monthly progression pictures, balloons, lunch, and lots of fun.

But what I loved the most about the day were the people that surrounded our girls and our family.

So many of the people who have supported us and loved us over the past year and a half.

Through surgeries. Through births. Through transitions. Through renovations. Through life.

Our baby girls are one.

And we could not have asked for a more beautiful day!

Today:

Anne Perry has decided she wants nothing to do with nursing. Tomorrow she starts whole milk.

She also pushed up on me today and stood for a good 10 seconds holding onto nothing.

Audrey Kate is a little talker! She loves to have conversations with you now. Back and forth.

But my favorite is when I sing Old McDonald had a farm...and sometimes (sometimes) she will bust out with ee-ie-ee-ie-ooooh. Her new favorite sign is please, as she sweetly rubs her finger on her chest for the sign!

Such tremendous joy!

Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing.
Power and majesty, praise to the King.
Mountains bow down, and the seas will roar,
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands,
Forever I'll love you,
Forever I'll stand.
Nothing compares to the promise I have
In You.

Happy 1st Birthday Day!

The little girls turned ONE on May 4th.

Unbelievable.

I've been working on their birthday party and 2nd shot a wedding with Allison most of the day yesterday, so I haven't had time to post some birthday day of pictures!

With a 3 year old in the house, we certainly weren't not going to celebrate the day of!

The little girls hadn't had much any sugar in this volume before...ever!

A taste of ice cream a few weeks ago. A pinch of something I was eating.

But nothing like an entire cupcake...

One was excited...

while the other studied things intently.

All before digging in.

Watching them eat a cupcake was just a demonstration of how very different our twin girls are!

Can you see the difference?

Simply amazing!

I'm pretty sure the end result was the same though!

I loved watching things start like this:

and end like this.

And then everyone got a bath!