To love reading ...

I want to teach Luke and Amelia to love to read.  My dad did that for me.  It was part of our bedtime routine ... we read through some great books - from The Hobbit to the BFG to Little House on the Prairie.  I looked forward to that time every evening.  Every year for our birthdays we would get a gift card to Powell's, the dollar amount would equal the age we were turning, and we'd go on a special date with dad to pick out new books (and cookies and hot chocolate from the cafe, of course).  It made reading and picking out new books exciting.
Friday night Scott and I went on a date, only the third since the twins were born, which is entirely our fault.  We've had many babysitting offers but between being first time parents (I prefer to think we're nervous, not neurotic :)) and being exhausted after work and caring for the babies, a date night usually sounds like a lot of work.  This is something we're working on! Anyway, Friday we had a great time heading down to Powell's to spend our gift cards from our birthdays last year.  I forgot how much I love just meandering around bookstores.
I've been inspired recently by two books.  The first is a parenting book (surprised?) called Simplicity Parenting.  The idea is that by simplifying our lives (less clutter, fewer activities, less media) we give our children the freedom and space to be creative and to be kids.  I don't think the idea should be taken to the extreme because it would lead to sheltered children and neurotic parents, but I think that I can always benefit from keeping life simple whenever possible and I think that children thrive on simple rhythms and routines.  Too many options and choices can be overwhelming. "By simplifying, we protect the environment for childhood's slow, essential unfolding of self" (Kim John Payne).
The second is called One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and it's her journey through keeping a gratitude journal.  As she keeps records of all that she is thankful for she begins to realize that cultivating thankfulness is key in living a joyful life.  As a mama of six she has amazing wisdom to share about grace, trusting God and about living fully in the moment, something I am always working towards.  "And this, this is the only way to slow time:  When I fully enter time's swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent with the weight of me all here.  I can slow the torrent by being all here.  I only live the full life when I live fully in the moment.  And when I'm always looking for he next glimpse of glory, I slow and enter.  And time slows."
Right now with the babies our "story times" usually last all of ten seconds before Luke decides he'd rather eat the book and Amelia decides she'd rather get off my lap to explore.  But that's okay.  We're establishing the rhythm or reading together ... or at least in theory we are.  For now, that's good enough for me!

Molly is one happy dog these days!

If the twins keep feeding Molly as often as they have been (like every meal and every snack), she is going to be the largest yorkie you've ever seen!  Sorry the lighting in this video is bad but Lukey was having so much fun feeding her that I had to post it :)  Also, don't judge me, I know Amelia needs a haircut!  She just got out of the tub here ... we're heading to see my sister soon and we all know she'll give Amelia a much better haircut than I ever could.  The babes have been kind to me -- I'm on my own for the first time with them since Scott is away at a conference.  He's only gone two days and one night (thankfully!) and Luke and Amelia have been asleep since 7pm without a peep.  Thanks you two!  Keep it up all night, okay?

Yummy treat!

Yesterday I made the babes a yummy new treat ... homemade graham crackers!  Graham crackers with milk was my very favorite snack growing up so when I saw this recipe on a friend's website (check it out here), I knew I would be making it :)  Luke and Amelia loved them ... Enjoy!

Graham Crackers

4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, at room temperature

4 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey

1 egg or Ener-G Egg Replacer equivalent

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter or oil and sweetener together until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until smooth. In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Use low speed on mixer to beat flour mixture into wet mixture. The dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pressed in your hand. If it's too dry, add a little water.

Press dough into 9 x 13-inch baking sheet. Score into squares a little over 2-inches. Prick each square several times with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes, or until edges are golden. Cool and then break into squares.

We have a walker!

Luke is walking!  By "walking" I mean, taking a few steps here and there :)  But as his proud mama, I will go ahead and say he's a walker!  This video is from when Grandma came over to play yesterday ("play" is code for giving me a break so that I can get out of the house -- much needed during Scott's long work weekend).  Yeah for grandparents!  Amelia is curious about walking and loves to cruise around but doesn't quite have the balance thing down yet.  It was a rough weekend for them both.  Well, actually it was a great weekend until Saturday night when they both started coughing.  Today they had their first fevers, had cold symptoms and are getting their molars.  Poor loves.   I had just told a friend that I was so happy they'd been healthy for a whole month.  Spoke too soon on that one!
Also, my little sister just started a blog -- check it out here ... Since she is pretty much the most creative person I've ever known in my life (maybe Luke and Amelia will get some of those genes, they definitely passed me over!) I'm sure it'll have lots of cute crafts and ideas :)  Now for Lukey walking ... (and yes we're bribing him with his sister's coat ... nice, huh?)

Carpe Diem ...

One more thing -- I think I figured out how to correctly post a link.  Check out this post from another blog -- love her sense of humor about the realities of parenting and her honesty about the challenges.  You can read it here.

One year check-ups

Last week we took the babies in for their one year check-ups.  Other than the fact that they got ten shots between the two of them (ouch!) it was a great appointment.  Luke is 31 inches tall (83%) and weights 24.5 lbs (73%).  Amelia is 30 inches tall (88%) and 21.5 lbs (58%).  They both continue to have enormous heads -- both of their head circumferences are in the 99th percentile ... yikes!  Our pediatrician said that if she hadn't known they were preemies she never would have guessed it -- always nice to hear that :)  I feel like they are transitioning between so many things right now.  They are between two naps and one (usually down to one nap per day), between using bottles and cups, between formula and whole milk, between feeding themselves and still needing some pureed foods.  It feels like a time of a lot of transition -- they're between being babies and being toddlers.  I love watching them feed themselves, it's so stinking cute!  Some favorites so far are spinach ravioli, cheese, black beans, scrambled egg yokes, veggie patties and pancakes.  In pureed form they will eat anything.  We make mixtures that I'm not brave enough to try (kale- broccoli-sweet potato-avacado mixture anyone?  ugh) but they eat it up.  I figure I only have a small window of time to get total say over what their diet includes so I'd better use it wisely :)
We've enjoyed some fun outings recently.  Last month we took the babies up to Mt. Hood for their first sledding adventure -- they seemed to enjoy it (although I'm pretty sure I might have had more fun than they did -- forgot how much I loved sledding!).  The gym we go to has family swim every weekend and they babies love being in the water.  There are also open gym times for babies at a community center near us.  It's set up for babies under 18 months -- with big foam toys, steps, etc. and Luke and Amelia have a blast!  In a few weeks we're looking forward to plane trip #2, heading to Boise to see my sister and her family as well as Scott's grandma, aunt, uncle and cousins.  Looking forward to some good visiting!

Oh, to be a twin!

I've wondered often over the last year and a half what it must be like to be a twin.  I would imagine that it feels safe -- to have another person that has always been there -- from day one.  I would also imagine at times it can be a million other things -- just ask Amelia after you see this next video -- ha!  Two disclaimers before I post this:
1.) Ameila was not hurt during this video or before or after.  Although she does have her hair pulled, face pinched, etc. many times a day by her well-meaning but very strong brother.
2.) Right after watching this video I quickly rearranged the layout of their nursery.  Yikes, those dresser corners look scary!
I had just given A her bath and was getting L's water ready when I heard uncontrollable giggling from their room.  L was "kissing" A, which looks like quite a combo of kissing/smothering/attacking ... Judge for yourself!

I don't know what it's like to be a twin but I do know that I love being a mama of twins.  Such a joy to watch two individuals grow up side by side.

The Birthday!!

We had a wonderful day today!  A low-key morning spent with my sister and niece Caroline who came from Boise for the weekend (thank you!) and a little gathering to share Thai food (also what we had at our wedding -- noticing a theme that important days in our family are apparently marked with yummy Thai food!) and cake and ice cream.  The babies are usually good nappers but of course today was the exception!  So by the end of the party they were exhausted!  You can tell on the video where they're eating cake ... Luke had had enough birthday fun :)  I did a terrible job of getting pictures but we did end up with a few good ones.  Thank you so much for all of your support over this last year.  The letters, notes, prayers, meals, hand-me-downs, visits ... have all overwhelmed us with thankfulness for the wonderful friends and family that we share life with!  Happy birthday to two beautiful babies!  Or I guess I should start calling them toddlers? :)

We love Ally!!!

Frank and Martha, our wonderful neighbors and adopted Grandparents :)

Our best shot at a family photo with two babes on the move!

The Birthday Girl!  We love you Amelia Jane!

Cupcakes  +Gelato Cake = Yummy!

Cousin Caroline -- Love that girl!

This picture cracks me up -- Maybe a bit too much birthday fun?!

Auntie Michelle!

One year?!

Luke, right after birth on 1.7.11, hooked up to CPAP and monitors

Amelia, who weighted 3lbs, 9oz, right after birth

Luke, one year later ... thriving!

Miss Amelia, happy baby girl who is about to turn ONE!

In just a few days, Luke and Amelia will celebrate their first birthday.  That is amazing to me for so many reasons.  The last year of life has taught me more than any other about joy, love, patience, perseverance, pride, forgiveness and grace.  Who knew that a 3lb and a 4lb babies could teach their mama all those things.  Parenting has stretched and challenged me more than anything I've done in my life up to this point.  It is constant and it is exhausting -- their needs are around the clock, seven days a week. It is also deeply and profoundly rewarding and fills me with such joy.  Whenever we learn to put someone else above ourselves it is both a painful and beautiful process. This year has taught me a lot about being okay with living in the space between ideals and reality.  Ideally I would have been able to bring my babies home from the hospital when we went, but by the time we got there I realized just how thankful I should be that they were healthy, period.  Ideally I would have still been breastfeeding (I still feel guilt about this) but in reality, my babies got the benefits of breast milk for six months and that was the best that I could do for them at that time.  Parenting means that you do the very best you can and pray for grace when you fall short (which I find is very often!).  I've learned that it is possible to feel guilty about all sorts of things -- mama guilt is for real!  Guilt that my babies don't get enough one-on-one time, guilt that they were born too early ... but there is tremendous freedom in grace -- in undeserved blessings.
Luke and Amelia -- Happy First Birthday!  You are absolutely blessings to us -- gifts of grace from God for whom we are overwhelmingly thankful.  You bring such joy to our home and we are so excited to get to see who you will become.  Love, Mom and Dad

Playing together :)

These are the moments that make the extra work of raising multiples so very worth it :)  Especially now that the babies fight over toys, pull hair, etc. it makes the sweet moments even sweeter!

Happy new year!!!