Then they were two

Everyone is quick to say things about savoring every moment when your kids are young- they say it from the time they learn you're pregnant, and they keep saying it as the days go by. You smile and agree, saying, "Oh, I will, thanks." And for all intents and purposes, you really do try to savor the moments: the messy ones, the funny ones, the sad, uncomfortable, weird, outrageous and priceless ones.

And suddenly you turn around and your babies aren't babies any more. On April 25th they're two. They are growing out of baby fat and into their necks. They aren't eating mush, they are eating pizza with you. They don't cry when they are hungry, they tell you "hungy-eat?" and when they are poopy they say, "poopy-pans." They know most of the objects in the house by name and can identify each family member by name- rather clearly. They don't wear onesies, just regular boy clothes. They don't want to play with rattles, they want to climb up the swing set and kick the soccer ball. They want to do everything you do, including type on the "pewter" and fix things with Daddy. They just plain aren't babies any more.

Every moment of the past that I'm sure I favored I now need to concentrate on to remember. I need to go back and look at pictures to remember what they looked like as babies and how they grew so fast. I need to watch videos to see and hear their little cries and squeals. And a lot of the time I do want to go back, to hold onto those little baby moments forever.

But then I see who these boys are becoming and I am intrigued by the unkowns that lie ahead. I want to be there every step of the way, just to watch from the sidelines. And I can still smile and say that I will savor every moment-- I'll just try to keep the flavors forever.

Cole just taking a look.

Ah, Cole, what makes him tick? Well, it's not adventures, per se. He is more of a literary buff and prefers conversation and books to silly games. So when the weather is hot, you'll not find Cole running through the sprinkler, or even getting too close to it. He'll pop his head over to the edge where he can keep a safe distance, and talk about how it's "wang-ing" (raining) for a while, adding a gleeful squeal to let you know that he does, in fact, enjoy the water. Just not enough to get in.

Soakin' in Springtime!

What can I say about this boy? He is beautiful, just eating up life every turn of the tide... The other day was blazing hot for an April day in St. Louis- though not unusually hot, I suppose. So we set out to make some fun-in-the-sun and here's what we came up with: the garden sprinklers! Ethan didn't even bat an eye to the fact that the water was cold, he just dove in. See his face? Not sure I can explain the afternoon better than the look on his face. He just stood there getting wetter and wetter and laughing and splashing and drinking that water. It was fun to watch the differences in the boys, and in this episode we see Daddy's adventurous spirit in Ethan. He just didn't hesitate- he went all in. Isn't it glorious? There are so many things I can learn from him.

Grandma Blough with Carl, Nate and the twins.

Full of surprises

They never cease to amaze me. Just when I think I have them "figured out" I am again surprised by what my boys will do.

We just spent 5 days traveling and in Pennsylvania visiting Nate's grandmas. They live in retirement communities/nursing homes and I was so worried that the boys would be shy and fussy while we were away. To my wonderment, they were completely opposite and what a joy it was to watch them! I saw my boys hug and kiss their great-grandmas upon first meeting them; watched them laugh and play in the sitting areas of the nursing home while old folks walked by and by; I saw the boys entertain our whole family for hours with just a styrofoam cup; I saw the smiles on the grandmas' faces and the joy brought from miles away by two little guys with no plan or agenda.

It was a beautiful sight and a great experience- it was a blessing. I got to see my boys happy in a strange situation, and they made everyone feel comfortable and loved. And I love them for it.