Happy 4 Months to our Twinsies!

Sam and Daddy cheer for Claire

In the past month, the twins have had their first sleepover at the house without mom and dad. Grandma Tam watched them while we ran amok in Deer Valley for our 10th Wedding Anniversary. (read about that here). We had fun this past month spending Tuesdays and Saturdays watching big sister Claire "play" soccer... or, rather, attend the game. It was fun this season because her good friend Taylor is on the team too. 

Claire and Taylor on the Blue Dragons Soccer Team

Scotland, Sam and August: The Dynamic Trio

The twins met their new little BFF, Scotland Grace Turnbow. She is about a month younger but the three of them look like triplets! It is so exciting to raise these babies with our dear friends, Eric and Sarah. 

The twins went bowling for the first time. We were careful not to mistake Sam for a bowling ball.

Overall, the twins have been very healthy, however, Sam got a little flu bug and had to go to the ER. Poor thing had an IV and was not a fan of that at all... his little face was so red with a fever it was heartbreaking.  He is on the mend now, and luckily, August and Claire didn't catch it. August's hemangiomas are shrinking and there is no cause for medical concern - we are very grateful that she seems to be in less pain as well. 

4 Month Check-Up

Miss August tipping the scales at 10 lbs 9 oz

Mr. Smiley Sam has grown a LOT! Over 12 lbs now.

Little friends (most of the time, except during feeding)

Sammy's getting close to holding his own bottle.

Mr. Strong Sammy can hold his head up 90 degrees - just waiting for him to crawl away.

Happy boy in Daddy's arms

August LOVED visiting Great Grandma Helen. They got along very well.

One of the aforementioned mealtime altercations: Sam and August were nursing together, and Sam put his hand in August's ridiculously giant bow and yanked it down covering both of her eyes. She screamed and swayed her head back and forth (Stevie Wonder style), all the while still trying to nurse. Very sad and absolutely hilarious. Sam definitely sabotaged her.

August smiles almost as much as Sam these days. She's pensive, but loves to smile and is starting to laugh.

I can't tell if I'm keeping the babies warm, or if they're keeping me warm during a chilly fall soccer game.

Happy Birthday

It's come again... your birthday. Happy 31st to my sweet little brother. So much has changed in this past year.  You are now an uncle to a miraculous set of twins (a boy and a girl, of course -- thanks if you had anything to do with that). Also, your little sister is getting hitched. You would really like her fiance; I have no doubt he'd get the Elliott seal of approval. He's a fly fisherman, an eagle scout, and a fireman. Someone who spends his time helping others would surely have a piece of your heart. Most of all, he loves your little sister so genuinely. 

As I always say, I loved the two months in between our birthdays when the age gap was narrowed to only one year and we were that much closer to being the twins we really wanted to be. I enjoy it now as I enjoyed it then, finding every way I can to feel close to you.

It is a beautiful fall day here - custom made for you, I think. The mountains are starting to turn and the air is so fresh. I'm glad to be back in Utah to smell the fall air the right way (in California it usually just smelled of wet salt and that didn't remind me of you at all.) 

As if it were on cue, your oldest niece has a field trip today with her school. They are going on a nature walk. She's all decked out in gear that you would love - Columbia, head to toe (courtesy of Grandma Tam).  She asked me if you would be sad that you can't see the nature walk because I told her how much you loved the outdoors, and I told her that you would still be able to see it and enjoy it. 

We celebrated your birthday a little differently this year. I organized a fly fishing trip for Matty and Zach. They were doing something you would have loved, and, more importantly, using some of your precious gear. I wanted those pieces of you to live on and this is the best way I knew how to accomplish that. They even caught a few brown trout - couldn't have been more perfect. Matty kept saying he hoped you'd swoop in and help him not get skunked this time, and I said absolutely not. No one ever helped you catch fish - he was on his own. But you would have joined him for a celebratory beer, I am sure :)

Erin, Claire and I made yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting. We lit candles and blew them out to make a wish, but, of course, Claire had to sing Happy Birthday. You can't put a lit candle in front of a 4 year old and expect them not to sing with all their hearts. Without any prompting, she put her hands in prayer position, bowed her head and closed her eyes, and sang Happy Birthday to you in a prayer. I'll never forget it.

I love you every day and I'm keeping my promise to carry you with me so those unlucky enough to have never known you, may understand this exquisite person that graced our earth for just a short time. Thank you for crossing your path with mine.

Forever your little big sister...

Lauren

Happy 10th Anniversary!

Ten years ago, Matt and I got married in Salt Lake City, at the McCune Mansion. We were incredibly young, only 22, but I always tell people we were old on the inside! We had both finished college and had our career paths planned and ahead of us.

For some time we discussed celebrating ten years of marriage by taking a trip to Spain... then we got a little curve ball - or, should I say, two little curve balls. So, instead, we celebrated with a blissful one night away at Montage Deer Valley. We had a fabulous dinner at Stein Eriksen Lodge, and toasted the decade with a 2008 Far Niente Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon that was given to me on my 30th birthday by Matt's brothers. It lived up to every expectation, and then some.  The next day it rained a lot, so we stayed "snug and evil" at Montage and bowled, played shuffleboard and basically just enjoyed playing. 

Here is my gift to Matt: a little video Montage of our years together. I am very proud to say it made him cry... that's how you measure the quality of a gift in my family, ha ha ha.

All dressed up and ready for a grown-up night out!

Dinner at Glitretind, Stein Eriksen Lodge

It's hard to see, but I forced Matt to make a number 10 with our hands.. he obliged.

It rained a lot, but luckily there was a bowling alley in our hotel!