Twingles! (twins + a singleton): October 2008

Yesterday was the girls' first birthday! I wish I had the time and energy to summarize each month in detail like my friend Megan or write touching devotions to my children like my friend Damiane' but I do not, so instead I will summarize the year with one word.... overwhelming! It has been a year of overwhelming change, overwhelming exhaustion, overwhelming challenge, but most importantly, overwhelming joy and overwhelming love. Not a day goes by that I am not amazed at my good fortune and grateful for my gorgeous, amazing daughters and wonderul family.

We had the girls' first birthday party on Saturday and it was a huge success! Everything went so well and so many people came to wish the girls a happy birthday and celebrate the first year of their lives. The girls were very well-behaved and enjoyed the excitement. Candace, our social butterfly, soaked up all the attention and new faces, whereas, Cassidy was a bit more skeptical and unsure. It was an exhausting, but fabulous and fun day!

Guests began trickling into our red and white Dr. Seuss decorated home a little before 10:30 am and our amazing nanny Tamarah even came early to help with the last minute preparations. She had already done so much to help me prepare all week, including helping with the favors, blowing up the balloons, and watching the girls while we shopped for their presents. The girls woke from their morning naps around 10:00 and we got them dressed in their party clothes just in time. They looked adorable in their dresses and bows!

In total we probably had about 30 guests (20 adults, 6 kids, and 4 babies.) The guests enjoyed the food, which included green eggs and ham, and played a game "Thing 1 or Thing 2?" in which they had to guess which twin did/does what. It was a fun way for everyone to learn more about the girls. Next we opened oodles of presents! The girls received dozens of gifts, but some of the highlights included the "Elmo Live" doll and the Laugh & Learn Chair from us and wooden decorated name signs from their nanny Tamarah. They also received lots of adorable fall outfits, books, educational toys, keepsakes, dishes, and gift cards. I was amazed at people's generosity and creativity!

Finally, we sang "Happy Birthday" to each girl and enjoyed cake and ice cream. It was a special-ordered Cat in the Hat cake and although it didn't quite look the way I wanted, it was delicious! The girls enjoyed individual "Thing 1 and Thing 2" cupcakes with turqoise frosting that turned their skin blue, lol, and they LOVED the ice cream! Of course there was lots of socializing and ohh-ing and ahh-ing over the girls in between. The last guests didn't leave until around 2:00 pm making for a long and exhausting day, but one filled with wonderful memories and good times.

Red, White & Seuss!