today they are one

dear mr. cash,

   you are such a sweet, fun little guy.  you have a wonderfully expressive face and i love seeing your reactions and emotions play across it.  i think you might be an early talker, because you babble all the time and you look like you're sincerely trying to tell me something (and i swear you are already telling me "no!").  you love to point and you point at everything.  i've always wanted a cuddly baby and you have fulfilled that wish.  i love the way you just curl up with me and we have our quiet little moments together.  you are one speedy baby; you break records with your crawling and just in the past few weeks, you seem to have started to really want to walk.  you haven't tried it on your own yet, but you love to walk while holding our hands and while pushing behind stuff.  well, you more like run, in fact, you might skip walking altogether and go straight to running. :)  i also think you might be part fish, you love the water so much.  you love to splash and lay down on your belly in the tub and try to blow bubbles in the water.  i think i'll sign you up for some mommy and me swim classes this summer.   you're a good sleeper.  you love to clap.  you're great at mimicking.  you watch so closely to what i am doing and then you start to do it just like me :)  you're a lover, not a fighter.  you're a climber.  you climb up onto to stuff but are afraid to get down, so we are constantly rescuing you.

i love you.  i can't imagine my life without you in it.  i look forward to this new year of your life and all the new things you will do.  

dear mr. slade,

  you're are becoming such a happy kid.  you always seem to be ready with a smile these days.  i love that.  you adore your big brother jagger.  you will follow him around and just laugh and laugh at all his antics (that is, until he takes your toys!).  you love to walk while pushing stuff.  you can do this for hours and it just makes you so happy.  you love to ride around on the little dump trunk.  i'm impressed with how well you steer yourself around this house.  you pick up on how things work so quickly.  you just have to see me do something once or twice, and you've got it down.  you are a lover of food; you appreciate a good meal :)  you love music.  you just have to hear the tiniest snippet of music and you are bopping around and shaking that booty.  just like your brothers, you also enjoy bath time.  you love to be held.  you have a bit of temper.  the tantrums are a little extreme and i'm a little worried that they might escalate when you hit the terrible twos.  you have the best belly laugh.  i'm so glad that you are sleeping through the night now.  thank you for that!  you like routines and loudly let us know you don't appreciate deviating from it.  you've started taking toys and hugging them to you while swaying back an forth.  it's the cutest thing to see and it always makes me smile.  it's like you are just so happy to have this toy in your life :)  you're are an adventurer.  you like to try out new things and i am seeing your independent streak come out more and more often.

i love you.  you have brought so much joy into my life.  i know this next year is going to be even better! 

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i can not believe cash and slade are one today.  this year has gone by so incredibly fast.  I have to admit i was a smidgen emotional today.  my babies aren't babies anymore (although, they still seem like babies to me until they start walking).  i have always wanted twins, ever since i can remember, and i just feel so blessed with these two.  it may be chaotic at times, but i wouldn't want it any other way.  they have brought such a richness to my life, and i am grateful.

today we just had a small party with family.  corey's parents came to celebrate with us (we missed you kelly!) and it was a very nice evening.  cash and slade really, really enjoyed their cake.  thank you aunt kelly for the toys and clothes!  tom and terry, thank you so much for the special gifts.  i was touched at the thought that went into them.  i know they will appreciate them and cherish them when they are older.  jagger had a bit of a tough time when it came to opening presents.  he just didn't get why there was nothing for him to open, since he's been opening presents for the past two days.  he did pretty well though.  and the babies were nice enough to share.  i'm still torn about how to celebrate their birthdays in the coming years.  we are thinking of having a "half" birthday celebration in june to kind of keep their special days separate from the holidays.  we not sure, but it's an idea, something to think over.  what do you guys think?  any suggestions? 

jagger had to be restrained at first while the presents were being opened