Our Family: The twins are ONE!

Well, I remember going to a first birthday party for a set of twins a year ago when our twins were a month old. It seemed UNFATHOMABLE that our twins would be one, be sleeping through the night, eating all kinds of food on their own, etc. But, here we are! The twins turned one on September 16th. We actually didn't have a big party for them. I did that for Sophie, and after that experience, I decided no more until they are old enough to care. It is just so much work! We just had a family get together for the twins a few weeks later. We were so excited that Ryan's brother Shane and his family could make it! These two girls are just beautiful blessings in our lives. I remember before we ever even knew we were pregnant and I thought that just having Sophie and Sally was great. I just thought it would be too expensive to have more kids, so the thought of having more never really crossed my mind. I sometimes asked myself though, if money were no issue, would I want another one? And sometimes, my answer was yes! I loved my kids, and there is no doubt another child would be a blessing. Still, I put the thought aside, because it didn't seem like something I really wanted to pursue. God knew my heart though, and chose to give us not one, but two more sweet babies. When I think about all the worry I had before they came about medical bills and just the cost of raising kids, I realize that it was all for nothing. God has provided for all our needs, and He will continue to do that. My sister shared with me recently about how she'd been learning that she didn't have to "save up enough grace" from God in case something tragic happens one day. I realized that I do this. I try to imagine worse case scenarios and prepare myself mentally for them. How would I feel? How would God get me through? It was as if I were attempting to save enough grace for these future worries that my or may not come to pass, when God already gives me enough grace for each day, just only for that day. He gives us what we need as we need it to teach us to continue to look to Him. I don't have to worry about Ebola or my children dying at a young age or God taking me and leaving them without a mother (all things I worry about off and on) because if any of those things were to happen, He would be my (and my children's) sustainer. I don't have to get myself ready for tragedy because the truth is, I will never be ready for it. If it happens, the only way I will make it through is by the grace He provides to sustain me through it one day at a time. After having four kids, my advice to anyone thinking about having another child is, don't let your worry get in the way of your heart's desire.

Well, on to Erin and Elise and what they are up to! Their day looks something like this:
8-9 am wake and eat 8 oz bottle and some kind of breakfast food
11:30-12 drink another bottle and down for a nap
2-3 wake and eat in their high chairs and drink from sippy cups (straws are the best kind for them)
3 drink another bottle
5 dinner in high chair
6:30 drink another bottle
7-7:30 bed

I am SO glad we are down to one nap a day bc it frees us up to get out and do things in the mornings/afternoons. I remember this transition was hard for me with the other girls because I loved all that naptime since it let me get things done or nap myself. But now, I am up entertaining s and s anyway, so I would rather be able to get out of the house with everyone so we don't all go crazy. I definitely feel confident taking all 4 out now on my own. Still not an easy task, but do-able.

Elise

Elise is still the quiet and calm one, but she surprised me by being the first to say a word other than mama or dada. She says, "Hi!" and it is so so sweet. She says it all the time and waves while she says it. They girls both understand a lot of words, but don't say very many yet. When you say, "Did you go poopoo?", they both pat their diaper. They love to play peekaboo and start doing it if they hear, "Where's Erin?" or "Where's Elise?" They also know bye bye, hi, kitty, bang bang, book, and maybe a few others. Back to Elise, she is taking a few steps on her own, but isn't full on walking yet. Her sister beat her on that milestone. It seems like Elise is the target of a lot of Erin's playful "bullying," if you can call it that. Erin loves to climb up on Elise's back like Elise is going to take her for a ride (in crawling position), and Elise HATES it. She cries and cries, and Erin thinks it is so funny. Both Erin and Elise love to whack each other in the head when the other one is being fed a bottle on the floor. I very seriously tell them no, but they smile and laugh and do it again. Stinkers! Elise still lets Erin do most of the noise making for her if they need to be gotten out of bed or need food on their tray or whatever it is. Elise makes noise sometimes too, but it is a much more soft, contented type noise. Though she loves to be around her sister, she seems also content to play on her own for bits of time. Her favorite toy is probably toilet paper, and her favorite food is smoothies. She weighs 20 lbs. 6 oz (30th percentile) and is 28.5 inches tall (30th percentile). She has been looking a tad bit bigger to me than Erin lately, and this doctor's visit confirmed it.

Erin

Oh boy, does this girl melt my heart (as do all her sisters). She is FULL of personality and noise and life! We have been calling her Sally Jr. for a while because of the strength of her personality and some similarities they share. She is loud, and she can throw big fits if she is upset about something. I can now tell the difference between their cries when they are in their rooms (usually) because Erin's is much more angry and unrelenting. Elise's is just horribly pitiful and desperate. Erin is a people person (though a major mama's girl), and loves to give hugs. She will walk up to you and just give you a big leg hug (or regular hug if I am sitting down). It is so precious. She loves to look at books and sit in my lap. She mimics my pointing at things and points and taps at everything in any book. She seems particularly quick to catch on to things such as mastering new toys or following a simple direction. She laughs ALL the time, and it is such a unique laugh. She especially laughs every time we change her diaper. So funny. She points at everything and brings me things and says, "Dah?" in an inquisitive tone. It is like she is asking me what things are. She has been really walking well for about a week now. Pretty much 80% of the time, she walks. Both girls are also big climbers, especially Elise. They were trying to climb up their dresser drawers today, and they LOVE to climb on the couch. S and S weren't such big climbers, so this is new territory for us. Erin's favorite toy is a book or toilet paper, and she loves pasta with tomato sauce. She weighs 19 lbs. 12 oz (25th percentile) and is 28.5 inches tall (30th percentile). They are both definitely thinning out some, which I guess is because of all their walking and crawling.

Here are a few more pictures