And They're Off!

For their birthday Natalie and Amelia achieved a childhood milestone.
From their Grandma and Papa they got their first real bikes.
With the balmy temperatures this weekend the girls actually had a chance to ride them!

The Girls on their "Bella" bikes

Amelia working hard

Natalie concentrating on steering

Sam looking like the goof he is

Riding buddies

and leaving the rest of us in the dust!

Birthday Snapshots

Here are the highlights of Natalie and Amelia's fun-filled 5th birthday!

birthday donut before Sunday school
(check out the bed-head...yikes!)

birthday hugs

Silbling photo
(FYI- the girls are slouching. Sam is nowhere near their height)

Brunch after church

the ballet where the finale was with
Sleeping Beauty and her prince


photo with Sleeping Beauty
(their favorite princess)

dinner of homemade pizza
in the basement in front of the Superbowl

princess toy gifts from their brother

Rehearsing for their new Wii game


and the final event...
the princess cake!


Once again...Happy Birthday Girlies!

From the Mouths of Five-Year Olds...

Recently I was talking to my sister on the phone about wedding dress shopping.
(The big day is in August of 2011)
When I was finished I commented to Mike,
"I feel bad for her, it is late and she just got done with work."
Amelia who was sitting at the table pops her head up and says,
"Oh, is she retired now?"

Wouldn't that be nice to do at the age of 27!
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During the Superbowl the girls periodically joined Mike on the couch to watch the game.
At one point early in the game Natalie hops up on the couch
and watched for a few moments before asking,
"Dad, which color are the Crackers?"

Maybe Green Bay wants to consider a name change.
They are Cheeseheads after all.

___________________________________________________________


Last night after going wedding dress shopping with my sister.
(She found one and she is stunning in it!)
I went in to kiss the girls goodnight.
I found Amelia lying on her back holding up her hand.
I kissed her and said,
"You're the only Amelia five-year old I know."
She continued to stare at her hand and said nothing until...
with her hand outstretched she replied,
"Mom, Guess what! I am a whole-hand year old now!"
I laughed and while she proceeded to hold up her second hand and say,
"And once I am this whole-hand year old too, you know what? I'll be ten!"

When I think of it that way, soon I will be both my hands, both my feet,
and a whole hand from each of my kids-year old!

High Flying Five!

Natalie and Amelia are flying high relishing every moment of just today turning five!
The anticipation of today for them has almost been unbearable.
Their excitement throughout the daily countdown has brought us such joy.
Check back later this week for photos from their special day.

I try each year on their birthday to convey my feelings and thoughts
about life with these special girls.
It is a challenging task that I mainly do for myself but if you
would like to share in my random ramblings feel free to read on.

Where the time has gone I have no idea.
All week long I have been a bit melancholy at the thought
of the girls officially hitting the "grade school" years.
Don't get me wrong my heart rejoices at the miracles they are.
Truth be told most days I can hardly wrap my mind around
how lucky Mike and I are to have living micropreemies.
To be able to laugh at two little girls who statistically
did not have much chance of surviving.
To be amazed at the vocabulary and wit of daughters
who in all reality should be developmentally delayed.

There are days when I find it hard to remember the first year with them.
Being a new parent is a struggle for most.
Surprise twins and 3 months early at that could send most people into a tailspin.
The early months in the hospital seem like another life so long ago.
The sleepless nights, the never-ending feedings, the crying,
the aching arms, the walking, the bouncing, the soothing...
was that really me?
Were they really that needy and small?

Quite frequently when people find out I have twins
they comment on a wish to have multiples too.
And my reply every single time...
"Are you nuts? Get your head examined!"
I think people believe I am kidding.
Most of the time I am not.

For the record I would not change my life.
NOT ONE SINGLE BIT!
My daughters...my "Nat" and my "Meals"
My "Sassy Pants" and my "Sweet One"
They are mine.
(and of course Mike's too)
Having them has changed me in ways that may take years for me to realize.
Having twins has changed me into a more
flexible, free and enjoyable person to be around.
Being a mom has made me appreciate my own mother so much more.

I have traveled the road of motherhood.
At times veered off course due to the fog of exhaustion and frustration.
Where Natalie and Amelia are going to take me God only knows.
But what I do know is that looking back they have already taken me so far.
The road behind me is not flat, nor pothole free.
The road behind me was not on my original well planned map of life.
But I am so thankful, so utterly speechless, so humbly blessed to have my girls.




Happy 5th Birthday Natalie and Amelia!
We love you!

Mom, Dad and little Sam

A Bedtime Lesson in Lexicography (ie Wordy Wednesday)

During tonight's bedtime routine I found myself in the middle of a rather interesting lesson. Turns out Natalie has been inventing terms that relate to Amelia's reactions to Natalie's behavior.

N: Dad, did you know that Amelia is innertatient?
Me: No, Natalie, what does innertatient mean?
N: [sitting up in bed and looking at Amelia across the room] Innertatient is when someone says you are rude.
A: I am not rude.
N: I did not say you were rude. I was SAYING you CALLED me rude.
A: [sitting up in bed crying] Dad, tell her to stop calling me names.

Me: Natalie, please don't call your sister names.

N: Not even aggletic?
Me: What does aggletic mean? Do you mean athletic? You mean Amelia is good at sports?
N: No, aggletic.
Me: What does aggletic mean?
N: Aggletic is the person who just called me rude.
A: [seriously fuming mad now] Dad, GET HER TO STOP!!
Me: Natalie, it is not nice to call people names. Please stop.
N: [bubbly] Ok.

Although we stress that name calling is not allowed, I can't help but be a little proud that Natalie invented, defined and committed these terms to memory all by herself.

Wordless Wednesday

Holiday Extravaganza!

Now that it is over and we are all healthy and well rested

I can finally get to sharing some of the photos from the holiday extravaganza
(or as we really like to say around here...the holiday BONANZA!)

For the most part we faired well except for one now minor
but seemed major at the time bump in the road.
You see like many families we ended up with a bit of illness over the holidays.
The good thing is it only hit 3 out of 5 of us.
The bad thing is that all the girls in the house had the stomach flu Christmas Eve night
into Christmas day....perfect timing...wouldn't you say?

So our holiday celebrations were muted by exhaustion and
our Christmas decor now included a few extra buckets lying around.
We missed celebrating with Mike's family at his parents house however on
Christmas evening we were blessed by loving family members who brought the party to us.

I will spare you the pictures of wiped out kids and Mom
and share with you the ones we are choosing to remember.


enjoying Christmas treats


Amelia and Natalie in their holiday finery


Natalie and Mom



Sam and Dad

Amelia and Mom

Christmas Eve
family photo

the classic toy...lite brites!

the disaster Santa left behind
Christmas morning

Christmas Day gift opening

Natalie and Amelia chatting with their tia

(sporting their new princess shirts from Santa)

Natalie and the giraffe she desperately wanted
Thanks Tia!

Sam posing in front of Santa's big gift to all the kids.


Thank heavens Santa had enough foresight to make sure
there were enough remote controlled trains for everyone!

Santa must be a highly trained professional.