Thurs. Sept. 3, 2015 - Happy 1st Birthday Tristan and Logan!

 Tristan is 1 year old!

 Logan is 1 year old!

 Silly boys

 Yay! Wrapping paper!

 And toys too!

 Relaxing outside

 Time for a science project

 Sharknado!

 Time to decorate the babies' cakes

They came home from the hospital in Tigger sleepers so we chose a Pooh and Tigger theme for their 1st birthday.

 The cakes and decorations were adorable

One more close up of the cakes because I'm really proud of how these turned out

 Blowing out candles is a group effort

 Tristan is not so sure about this

 Eventually they decided to give them a try

 Both boys gouged out the eyes

 Their birthday ended as so many days have from the very beginning: Tristan crying and Logan sitting calmly

I can't believe our twin babies are 1! It has been quite a year. 

When I was 20 weeks pregnant we visited Disneyland and chose Tigger sleepers for our twins. We brought Tristan and Logan home from the hospital in these; it feels like the classic Milne characters have been with the babies from the beginning. I also love the friendship between Pooh and Tigger so it felt appropriate to have a Pooh and Tigger-themed 1st birthday party. We decorated with all sorts of banners but the balloons most fascinated the boys. I made them each their own little cake, Winnie the Pooh for Tristan, Tigger for Logan. They weren't too sure about the cakes at first but eventually, with some encouragement, they both ate a little. Tristan seemed to enjoy it more than Logan and both appeared to have more fun destroying the cakes than eating them. We were lucky that their Great Grandparents Charlotte and John as well as Grandma Cathy and Aunt Amy could be here for this special celebration. We all just enjoyed the day, opening gifts when they were in the mood and napping when they got tired.

I'm in awe of our amazing twins. I remember when I was pregnant, twin parents would tell us that its an unbelievable amount of work but the reward is more than you can imagine. I've absolutely found this to be true. Watching 2 babies grow and develop together, knowing they are identical but completely their own persons is indescribable. I always wonder what they are thinking and what it is like to always have another baby around. Tristan and Logan haven't really spent any time apart. They play together, fight with each other, "talk" to each other and learn from one another. At nap time they usually chat for a bit until one falls asleep. Then the other fusses (because he is lonely? wasn't done with the conversation?) then falls asleep too. I love to watch this ritual and it makes me so happy to know they will always have each other.

This year has been a real learning experience for me. I've always heard that each baby is different and these two have proven this beyond a doubt. Despite being identical and being raised the exact same way, they each have their own personalities. Tristan is quick to smile but also quick to cry. He's always trying new things and seems to be the first to climb an obstacle. He's a pretty good sleeper and seems to eat constantly. Logan appears more thoughtful and likes to observe. He's working hard on his speech and knows lots of hand motions to songs but I'm less likely to find him scaling furniture. He sleeps less, wakes up a lot, and despite eating less food only weighs a few ounces less than his brother. 

Parenthood changes you, and I think that even though these aren't our first babies, we've changed even more. I know I have. I've learned to let a lot of things go. There isn't time to volunteer for all the things I'd like to do. Some days we eat cereal for dinner. Most nights as we stumble to the couch to finally sit down we set off 10 noise-making toys that we left on the floor. Most days, there just isn't time to shower (thank you, Amy, for finding some great dry shampoo). I'm exhausted and always on the go. I actually tried meditation but I fell asleep every time (really, I am exhausted). But I am so, so happy and I truly try to enjoy these days because I know they will go quickly. It feels like just yesterday that Riley was toddling around our CA townhouse and now she's in 1st grade! Chad likes to say, "The days are long but the years are short" and I think that's the best summary of our lives. Cuddling with all 4 kids or watching them all tackle Daddy makes my heart burst. Our house is loud but full of love.