One Year Old!

It's so cliche to say, but my how the time has flown by. Our sweet boys are already one year old. Now that our first year has wrapped, I think I can say that was pretty hard, but also, it wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. The next 10 months or so should be smooth sailing. I'd like to say it should all be smooth sailing from here. At least that's what all the other twin moms have told me when the boys were tiny infants. "Oh, don't worry, it gets so much easier!" I don't want to be so naive to think these boys won't be any trouble in that defiant assert-my-new-found-independence-as-a-toddler way, but I have faith they are going to be good boys. They have been angels so far.

Thomas: 

    You just keep getting cuter. Your little chubby cheeks and buddha belly still allow me to call you my little squishy-wishy, but you are definitely growing into a sweet toddler. You are looking less like a baby every day. You'd be content just staying in someone's arms all day long. You are a pretty easy kid, but how could you not be when you take 50 million naps a day? You are the best sleeper ever. You go down every night without a fight, fall asleep instantly, and sleep-in the next morning - sometimes to the point that we have to wake you to get the day started. We can always tell when you are ready for your next nap because your right thumb goes in your mouth and your left hand grabs your ear. Although you don't really have a fear of strangers, it takes you a while to warm up, which is just fine by me. You've saved me from getting stuck in the middle of a Costco aisle by little old ladies when all I want to do is finish the shopping and go home. You aren't a huge fan of standing yet, but you can crawl around with the best of them. We have to always keep an eye on you because everything you touch goes straight into your mouth. Which has six teeth already!! You are my little love bug. You actually give hugs along with your kisses. I'm thinking you are going to continue to be a laid back kid and I'm hoping I'm not going to get a ton of trouble out of you. 

Jacob:
    Dad has the best way to describe you - Turkey! I don't think you are going to be a handful, but I definitely think you are going to keep us busy. You are just the happiest baby ever. Smiling all day long. If Thomas wasn't around to save me, I'd be stuck in those Costco aisles forever with the way you just ham it up with everyone. You've kept pace with your brother's growth and although you are closing the weight gap, you do not have his baby chub. You are a lean mean crawling machine. You do not like to sit still, but not in a nervous energy way. You just love exploring. You would be happy if we'd just let you crawl around the house all day long. But you want access to the whole house. It takes you a while to give in to being in the playpen, but with how quick you are on all fours, we have to contain you somehow. You are the kid whose parents turn away for a second and all of a sudden you've climbed up the bookshelf. You are so close to walking. You've just learned how to stand on your own so it's only a matter of time before you get confident enough to take a few steps. Changing your diaper is nearly impossible. You will only lay on the changing table without moving for about 5 seconds, then you start trying to roll over and crawl off the table so we have to hold your feet with one hand and pin you down with our elbow to keep you from turning around and lord help us if you have a poopy diaper because then we have to try and keep your hands away from grabbing a fist full of dirty diaper too. For how easy your brother is to get to bed at night, you are the exact opposite. You ... never ... sleep. You take one little cat nap early in the day and then after that, you are up until bed time, which nine times out of ten you fight tooth and nail. You have to be pretty darn tired to go straight to sleep when we put you down. You still have a little bit of trouble with reflux, but for the most part you keep everything you consume down. Not greek yogurt. I learned the hard way you don't keep that down. But compared to several months ago, you are doing great.  Even with all these little challenges you give us, your spirit makes up for all of that. I know both of you boys have grown a ton this past year but when I think of how small you were 12 months ago, it brings tears to my eyes. You went through so much at the very start and you've become this amazing kid who doesn't seem phased by all that trouble what so ever. I wouldn't blame you if you were a finicky kid, or if you were sensitive, or if you didn't handle change well. But that's not the case at all. You just roll with the punches. You love life.

 I'll admit you are both a lot of work, but only from a logistical stand point. Going out and doing things is five times as hard as if there were just one baby. But you are both such amazing boys. I love that you are two totally different kids. Even so, I suspect you are going to be the best of friends. You are like yin and yang, the perfect compliment to each other. 

Happy Birthday, Thomas and Jacob.