Just another Sunday afternoon . . .

I had read about the pooptastrophes and other major incidents at home while scanning through FaceBook! Surely I could fold clothes or entertain my Darlings so off I went to help. It was just about time for lunch when I arrived . . . Avery and Riggs were actively playing in the living room all the while Daddy was sterilizing the kitchen and living room and Mommie was working her way through a daunting amount of laundry. Mommie hadn't had time (since Thursday) to even wash her hair (and for those of us who know and love Mommie, that is a record!!).

Once the chores were laid out, mine was to feed my Darlings. I would like to mention here that Mommie had prefaced my chore with "and Avery will need to nap right after lunch." Riggs had a good nap this morning so he will want to play." Sounded reasonable to me!

Mommie had prepared red bans and rice (my Darlings LOVE this, thanks to Aunt B!) but no meal would happen until they'd eaten their fruit. I cut up banana and added the cut fruit from the fridge to it. Avery was more than happy to have fruit; Riggs, not so much. He obviously doesn't like the way it feels in his hand OR tastes on his tongue 'cause he would have none of it. So, while the beans and rice cooled, I added cheese to the mix . . . Riggs likes cheese!

Having gone through two bowls of red beans and rice each, I gave the Darlings their juice bottle. Throughout lunch, Avery and Riggs would take turns squealing that it was THEIR turn to get a spoonful however, Avery was much more demonstrative! Once Avery grabbed her juice baumbie she closed her eyes, sitting in her high chair, and feel asleep . . . INSTANTLY!

I cleaned Riggs and put him in the living room to play with the toy daddy had modified for them and cleaned Avery's face (never woke up!) and put her in her crib. She slept for almost three hours!!!! Riggs and I folded a load of clothes and then played chase throughout the house. I'd let him get almost out of view and then I'd get over to him and squeal . . . he would start laughing and then, take off again. Delighted with being an "only," we had a lot of fun together.

Taunt Clair arrived. Riggs had fun with her until it was nap time. He went down and Avery woke. Avery wanted to read Gossie and Gertie . . . while she held the book, Daddy recited the lines of the book from memory (all the while, across the room from Avery and the book!). Mommie had showered and done her hair so she was definitely a happy girl! Taunte Clair wrote in the fronts of the six books she'd given the Darlings for their first birthday.

Big news of the day? Taunte Clair had given Mommie (for her birthday) the porcelain go cup she'd been coveting since Christmas Day! What a day!

I left with Mommie's new jeans . . . they need to be repaired. All in all, I'd say it was a good day with my Darlings. I am looking forward to February when Deaire, Nana and PopPop get to team tag them while Mommie and Daddy are off to Cabo! Fun!!!

An amazing time was had by all!!

Dearie's morning began with making the peanut butter and jelly rounds for the birthday party. What an excercise that was!! Then, it was load 'em up and head over to the Ryans' house to get things ready for the big party!! With only three hours before the guests arrive, there was much to do!!!



Darlings Avery and Riggs were troopers! I'm thinking there were about twenty-one children ranging in age from 10 mos. to six years and oh my word, what a hoorah!! The party carried over the polka dot theme from the invitations, colors were hot pink, orange, lime green and bright blue.

Dearies do what Dearies have to do and since there wasn't any sort of decorative selection for the polka dot theme, Dearie printed out several (as in, many) dots in the chosen colors . . . then, the cutting began. And, Dearie had to do a couple really large dots with my Darlings' names and their age! Oh my, the fun things Dearie does for her Darlings but as Phyllis Keaty said just after their birth a year ago, "you'll find that NOTHING for your Darlings is TOO MUCH!" She was definitely right on that one!

Mommie put most of the polka dots in the breakfast room window.



First, there were cakes and cupcakes!



For the birthday party guests!



And, of course, a cake just for Avery,



and then, a cake just for Riggs,



There were party hats and party favors for everyone! (notice some more of the polka dot on the table!!)



Plenty of food ranging from peanut butter & jelly rounds (Dearie's contribution to the food) to chicken nuggets and pigs-in-a-blanket (Nana's contribution to the food). There was also a wide selection of fruit!



Nana continued making pigs-in-a-blanket 'cause clearly she knew that those little things would be a big hit!!



Juice boxes for the kiddos and wine for the Mommies and Daddies (yes, there was beer also but that was on the porch in ice chests!).



While Nana and PopPop were traversing Lafayette picking up food, cakes and wine, Dearie undertook the balloons. Thanks' to GiGi's helium machine, Dearie was able to fill sixty or so balloons for the party! We had balloons everywhere, from the giraffe greeting guests at the front door,



To the dining room where party favors awaited the guests and throughout the living room!



Birthday gifts began to line the stairwell . . .



But Dearie, Ryker was trying to take my party hat off and I want to wear it!! Just give him one, okay? That way he won't want mine!



The elders began gathering and chatting about things far from birthday greetings!



Diaper duty, continued for many throughout the afternoon!!



Precious Chloe modeling her ensemble and showing off those pink bows in her coiffed hair! She's just a doll!



Daddy situating the birthday girl in her high chair for the singing!!



Okay, now what do I do with this?



Mommie trying to encourage the birthday boy by instructing him to look at his cake!!



Dearie, I'm not too sure about this singing! I'll just stay real still and hope that it stops, okay?



Miia encouraging Avery to do something with her cake!!



Riggs pointing out one of the dots on his cake?



Avery deciding where to start!!



I think I can do this, I just have to concentrate!



Mommie, I think this tastes good but I'm just going to take a little taste, okay?



Oh yea, this is good! I really like the white stuff!



Mommie made this cake for me and I'm thinking I better do something more with it!!



Okay, both of my hands are needed for getting this white stuff in my mouth!



Hey, I can smear the white stuff on my tray! Pretty cool!



Riggs, how are you making out with your cake? Auntie made it for you so you better act like its good!



Long after the guests had left, Miss Meeka shared her slice of cake with Riggs. Well, I'm not sure that "shared" is quite the word . . .



I think Riggs is enjoying the cake from Southside bakery pretty well! Sucking the icing off the cake . . .



Dearie, Mommie knows you will clean my romper so its okay that I'm getting the white stuff on it, right?



This stuff is sooooo good! Don't get your feelings hurt Auntie, if my cake had been cut, I would have probably eaten it too!



Ummmmm! So good!



Let me get this last piece of cake. Its the best stuff I've eaten in a long time!



I'm pooped Dearie! I ate it all. Isn't that what I was supposed to do??

Mommie and Daddy did so much to make this a perfect First Birthday Party! Kudos! Thank goodness for grandparents!! Now, I'm already curious to learn how next year's party will top this one!

Your day-in and day-out friends came to share their birthday wishes, Miia and Emma, Charlotte and Frances, Ryker, Les and Chloe, Jacob and Tucker, Madeline, Joycelyn and George. It will take Dearie a little longer to learn the names of everyone else, but I will do my best!

Avery and Riggs, My Darlings, I hope you both enjoyed your party day as much as I enjoyed being with you for the celebration. Here's to sharing another wonderfully bright and exciting next year! I treasure every moment we spend together!!

For more party pix, check out the following blogs:

www.cryingryans.blogspot.com
www.growingmayflowers.blogspot.com

Today's the big day!! A First Birthday Party for Two!!

We had a try on yesterday afternoon, thank goodness the outfits didn't require alterations!!

The polka dot outfits fit: check



Avery will have to wear her white tights,



Riggs will wear his white knee socks.


the PB & J rounds are done: check

Now, all Dearie has to do is figure out what to wear so that I'm warm enough to get over to the party but nothing so warm that I will be uncomfortable once the house heats up with all those folks who are coming to the party!!

Happy Birthday darlings Avery and Riggs. You have been such a blessing in your first year!! I look forward to being with you as you work through another year when we celebrate your second birthday!!

what a difference 365 days makes!

Just moments following the delivery of Darlings Avery Kathryn and Riggs Trey, Daddy snapped this image:



Pleased that the Darlings are healthy and the delivery is over, a slight, pensive smile is visible on Mommie's face. Going from no babies to two preemie babies would change her life forever.

365 days later, Aunt B captures this image on the floor in the Darlings nursery:



As My Darlings have grown, Mommie has also grown into a wonderful mom and is enjoying every moment they share! After one year of caring for and loving her twins, Mommie's smile and happy heart are obvious!

Happy First Birthday to Dearie's Darlings: Avery Kathryn and Riggs Trey

I just can't believe that it has been a whole year since my darlings graced our lives with their birth on the Feast of the Epiphany. A gift far greater than gold, frankincense and myrrh! Watching you both grow and develop through the stages of your first year has been a such a true joy and, being able to see you almost every day makes it all the better. I love you both so much and cherish every moment I am blessed to spend with you! May your second year be bright and beautiful and filled with much goodness and happiness! God bless you both!!

First Birthday Extrvaganza!

Darlings Avery and Riggs will turn one on Twelfth Night! But, their first birthday celebration will happen on the Saturday following so that everyone can join in the fun! On New Year's Day, Mommy asked Dearie if she could / would fashion the birthday outfits for the Darlings . . . so the fun begins.

Back in May, Mommy happened into this fabric store and discovered polka dot fabric . . . one was white with hot pink dots and the other, (you guessed it!) white with bright orange dots. Though she had no idea what she would use the fabric for, she got a yard and a half of each. Dearie washed the fabric and pressed the pieces, folding them neatly and putting them in the fabric bag for use one day?

Yep, that's the fabric Mommy wanted fashioned into birthday outfits for My Darlings! I had a pattern on hand for Rigg's romper and made a pattern for Avery's jumper. It wasn't until I laid the patterns out that I realized it would be a little more difficult to get these pieces cut out as I had to match the polka dots on the front and back of Riggs' . . . both vertically and horizantaly. And then it dawned on me that I would have to consider the side seams of his romper. It seems that Mommy enjoys forcing Dearie to reach beyond her grasp!

Well, the project began (and of course, the romper and jumper had to be lined):











I was somewhat pleased with how the polka dots lined up on the front and back center seams on Riggs' romper but, I still had to stitch the lining and then, the side seams . . . that's where it would be trick!



Here goes . . . Mommy really does test Dearie with the simplest of attempts!



Avery's jumper was a cake walk because it was a-line there was only lining up the polka dots as it would be impossible for there to be full dots on the side seams.



Still in need of hems, buttons and buttonholes (and snap enclosure on Riggs' romper), I was satisfied with the progress of about four hours of work.



Especially when I realized that the work on the slightly tapered side seams had paid off!

That's when Anne phoned a little puzzled about how she would decorate the birthday "area" and Dearie pulled this together in PhotoShop:



It will be fun to see how well the window treatment turns out . . . if I can locate the right color poster boards!!!

And, last night Dearie and Mommie put the party favors together:



Its looking like Mommie gets the party planner award again this year!