It's official... we survived a whole year. Happy 1st Birthday Twinnies!

To be honest, it really hasn't been as grueling as you might think... largely due to the fact that we have had so much help from family. Moving back to Utah was without a doubt one of the best decisions we have ever made for our family. Also, to be honest, it is pretty taxing and intense - but worth every single solitary second.

Sweet new rides for their birthday!

However, I don't want to sugar coat it, raising two babies at once is challenging to say the least -- when they both need you at the same time, when you simply do not have enough hands, when there is always something that needs your attention - times TWO - you just feel like you are never enough. However, it has been incredibly joyful. The twins are more adorable every day, and Matt and I are still in disbelief that we somehow ended up with these little people in our world. I don't know why it works this way, and why we got this miracle, but I am grateful. every. single. day. 

There are times that are confusing - I can't read them and they are so upset or confused one second, then literally one second later they are absolutely joyful. Oh well! Makes for good photo-ops.

Sad to be a Southern Belle, or delighted? You decide.

August can stand unsupported very very briefly, and is desperate to walk. Sam's biggest talent remains his crab claw imitation. Both babies love people and think they are very important and, as such, should be involved in any and every conversation, social interaction, and entertaining experience. Little do they know, they ARE the entertaining experience. August's eyes are definitely going to stay blue - I'll have one blue eyed girl and one brown eyed girl (side note, Claire is CONVINCED that the Van Morrison song of the same name was literally written for her,. If we are in a restaurant or public setting and they play it, she yells loudly to all patrons "This song was actually written about me! It's for me! See? Listen! I have my own song!" Little does she know the song precedes her life by a good 42 years.)

Old man nap in the "circle of neglect" the exersaucer.

Sam still pays homage to his first nickname, "Sleepy Sam." If he misses his 10am nap or it starts a little late, he'll just take it wherever he is - we call them his "old man naps." 

They both speak a little funny language - August sounds increasingly like a Martian, and Sam uses a series of Dada and Dada-like words to say "thank you, mama, grandma, hi, etc.) August cannot be constrained - she is all over everything and everywhere at every minute. She puts her little sound and music chair up to the couch and climbs onto it... hikes up onto the fireplace to climb up onto the side chair next to it. Don't get me wrong, we have some baby proofing in place, but short of putting them in a hexagon 24 hours a day there simply isn't enough baby proofing in the world for two little minions... er... twinions.

Candidly, I never expected to have this many children. I thought one, or maybe two so that the first wouldn't be lonely. Our first hit us like a tornado in every single way (the good kind that takes you to a magical land like Oz..., but a tornado nonetheless). Then it was years in between, and now, I am incredibly grateful for that time. Claire is 5 1/2 years old now (heaven forbid you rob her of that extra 6 months...) and therefore is independent enough that I can be tied down with the babies a lot. 

Twinnies watch eagerly as Claire has a bath. They want in - BAD.

Unexpected added bonus??? The babies ADORE her and think she walks on water. She can make them laugh like no one else can. I don't get it. They don't speak English yet, and as far as I know, Claire's only language IS English, so what gives? I feel a little hurt that I can't delight them like she can, but I'll get over it. I know they love me when their sweaty little arms reach out from their crib for me after a nap.. or when they scream "NaNa" at me.. (or DaDa at me... I've just got to let that one go).

My life is so different than it was one year ago- I'm not working in my fast paced "office job", but I'm working my ever-lovin-you-know-what-off every single day. I still get tastes of my professional event planning life - there are endless occasions that arise and we are preparing for my sister's wedding next month which keeps it all screaming back to me, in a good crazy way. I do freelance hair and makeup for special occasions, and still get to play piano for events occasionally which makes me incredibly happy.

Babies playing with their new sand and water table!

This is also the first time in her entire life (since her 12 weeks after birth), that Claire has stayed home with me. I took her out of full time preschool for the summer so we can have a normal family stay-home summer... with - GULP - three kids at home. So far, so good... but it's only been a week. A really really exhausting week. I think we'll settle into a routine and it definitely helps having my mom out of school for the summer for some extra support. We also get playdates with our adorable McCleary cousins, Wendy Wednesdays, and time with all of the grandparents. We really couldn't be luckier in the sense that we are surrounded by love and people who want to be a part of our lives in a nurturing, helpful, fun way.

August plays peek-a-boo with anything she can get her hands on; her outfits, napkins, burp cloths, her hands.

To give a comparison of the babies' growth to Claire at the same age, Claire was a full 2 inches taller than August and 2 pounds, 1 ounce heavier than she was.  She was exactly 50th percentile for height and weight at that age. Sam & August are hovering at 4-5 percentile for height and 40-45% for weight. Sam weighs a healthy  20.5 pounds and is 28.2 inches tall. His head circumference is 17.5 inches (his height at birth....weird.)

August is my smallest baby at 12 months, weighing 19 pounds, 3 ounces. She is also my shortest at 27.5 inches tall.  Her head circumference is just slightly smaller than Sam's: 17.2 inches. However, the GIRL CAN EAT! She loves to feed herself and isn't grossed out by the "3rd foods" that have substantial chunks in them. Sometimes I just stop feeding her because it's been like 45 minutes and I think "you can't possibly be hungry still..." my smallest, scrappiest child.  These are mundane facts for most readers, but it is interesting to the person that grew them, so you get the pleasure of reading it anyway.