THE TWINS TURN ONE + AN UPDATE ON THEM

A few months ago my oldest son moved in with his Dad full time.  This change made me increasingly aware of just how fast our time with our children goes by.  I knew this before...but now I feel it on such a deeper level.  And as I think back on this last year with the twins, it feels so much like a blur.  I wish I had blogged weekly about our happenings, their growth and the little ways they were changing.  Because it goes.so.fast and that time is not time we can ever get back.  

I think much of this first year of having twins while homeschooling three children was spent just trying to figure out how to adjust to this new normal while existing on little sleep.  The days sped by it seemed.  They grew and changed so quickly.  I feel like I blinked and they turned ONE.  

I have done much reflecting and praying and have decided to make some changes in my life that will allow me more time here in this space to blog about all the things that mean the most to me (preserving our family's memories and sharing about motherhood), and to be more present in my childrens' lives so that while yes, the time is fleeting...it is also time well spent.  

I am up early this morning to write about my twins' one year birthday photos I took recently.  

They turned one in August but things seemed to keep popping up and it was getting into October and I had not yet taken their photos.  I realized if I didn't just get them done no matter what I had going on in my life they would never happen.  

So, with the help of my best friend Kimberly...we made it happen one beautiful October evening.

There is a field across from where Kim works.  I met her there.  Taking photos of two babies who are on the move is incredibly difficult.  I tried it on my own and it didn't work out at all.  So, Kim being the amazing friend that she is, offered to help me keep them focused and in one place long enough for me to get a few photos and she offered to take of few of me with the girls.  She is really the best ever.

Here are a few things I want to remember about the girls at this season in there life...

They are so incredibly happy pretty much all of the time.  And yet, their personalities are so different from each other. 

Milla is so curious.  She is so observant and just so smart.  She has the greatest most contagious laugh.  Her smile when she wrinkles up her nose is our favorite.  She joins in on all our loud going ons during meal times and is really just a part of the kid gang now.  She is walking so well and so quickly now.  She barely crawls any more.  She says six words... "Lennon, Mom, Dad, Hi, All Done, Fish."  But "fish" was her first word.  Alanna has her fish right near where I nurse the girls each day.  I would point to it and say "fish", and before long, "fish" was her first word.  

She absolutely loves to be outside.  She cries if she hears the door open and she doesn't get taken outside.  She loves to just walk around the yard, picking up acorns and leaves.

She loves taking walks.  She loves animals and thinks our dog Lennon is pretty fantastic.  She learned his name and she will say "Len" or "Lennon."  Her little voice is so sweet. 

She isn't interested in nursing much.  I've always called her Three Minute Milla because she is just always so ready to be on the go that sitting still for nursing seems to be so difficult for her :)  

She just started to sleep really well.  For a long time she was waking up between 4-6x a night which meant I was getting up with her that many times as well as getting up with Mara 2-4x a night.  I am not sure how I made it through that season on such little sleep but I guess you just know there isn't any other option and you figure out how to push through.  I think knowing it is a season and it won't last forever helps.  Knowing that they will only be this small and need you this much for such a short time helps to keep things in perspective and helps you not loose your joy and ability to cope.  

She is now going to bed around 7:30 and waking up around 12 or 1am to nurse.  She nurses for maybe 5-10 minutes and then is sleeping until either 5am and going back to sleep until 7am or 8am OR she just sleeps from her early morning nursing session straight through to 7/8am.  Mara is on the same sleep schedule and this last week of them both sleeping like that has helped me feel like a new person.  I am loving having the energy to wake up early and have some time to read, edit, and blog. 

Mara loves to nurse.  She would nurse for probably 30 minutes at a time if I let her :)  She thinks that any time I am sitting she is supposed to be nursing.  If I sit then she comes crawling over screaming and clutching to me like she is desperate and starving even if she's just nursed recently.  I've had two other babies who did this but not quite to the extent as Mara. She does the cutest little smile and happy sigh when she finishes nursing like "man, life is just great!"

She does this little face that we call "beaver face".  She wrinkles up her nose, does this funny breathing noise, and pushes up her top lip showing her cute big front teeth show.  It's so funny. We all break out into hysterical laughing when she does it, so she will continue to do it over and over, and then will break out in laughing with us.  It's the best.  

Mara is so dainty as she always has been.  She's rarely messy when she eats except for when she cups her hand on her face during meals to show her excitement in our discussions.  Then she will have food in her hair, all over her cheeks, and sometimes in her eyes.  

They both love to show me "how big they are" by putting their hands in the air :) 

She is more picky on her food then Milla but loves to eat.  Fruit and chili seem to be her most favorite foods right now.  But she also loves oatmeal, tacos, pancakes, macaroni, potatoes, pizza, yogurt...basically anything we're eating except eggs.  She will not eat them.  She throws them on the floor and seems quite pleased with herself about it. 

She doesn't walk or stand on her own yet but she is super fast at crawling.  She discovered how to crawl up the stairs and will take any chance she gets to go all the way up or sit on the third step which seems to be her favorite step.  

She also loves to sit in baskets or boxes.  She climbs in and just sits there with such a great look of satisfaction.  She loves to look out the window as well.  

She gives the best hugs.  She is so squishy and hugs so tight while giving these long sighs of deep love for you.  It makes you feel so loved and special. 

Milla has just started giving kisses which is so sweet.  She kissed Mara for the first time the other night and I thought my heart would just burst!

  

Mara loves the outdoors as well but is definitely more sensitive to the feelings of grass or new things she hasn't even discovered before.  I just recently let them start walking/crawling around the back yard which they both love.  Mara is determined to crawl up the slide and to climb up the monkey bar ladder like the bigger kids.

Both girls love our big round saucer swing.  They will dive for Liam and Alanna when they are swinging on it, begging for them to swing them as well.  

They both love playing with their older siblings.  I'm so thankful for the older kids and how amazing they are with the twins. 

Both the girls absolutely adore their Daddy.  Mara calls him "Da or Da-E!"  They will hear me say "Dad's home!" when Nathan gets home from work and they both crawl/walk to the front door along with the rest of the kids trying to get to him as fast as they can.  It's pretty amazing seeing my husband walk in the door (or try to get out of his truck) with all the kiddos swarming around him. 

The girls have just brought so much joy into all of our lives.  Twins were so unexpected and such an amazing blessing to each of us.  We didn't know how much we needed them.  They are so fun, so sweet, so full of happiness, and I am just so so in love with them. 

One is such a special age.  They begin to learn so much.  I love watching them experience and learn about life as they come into their own little personality.  They are such a joy.  I am so excited for this season we are in now. 

Happy One Year My Little Loves. 

I love you forever and always.