I finally included some pictures. However, I asked my sister Jazz to take some good pictures with a real camera, so she took a ton and I didn't take quite as many, nor were mine all that great, but I have them and she still has the ones she took (when she stops being so crazy busy, I'll bug her to send them my way). So Enjoy these pictures from of my sweet Minnie Twinnies.
The day of their birthday, I let Paisley open a couple presents first thing when she woke up because she loves ripping paper. Se loved her new books.
I also made them Mickey Mouse Pancakes (I know they don't care, but I seriously LOVE birthdays so I was making it special for them and me).
Then we invited Grandma Pam and Grandpa Todd, Aunt Jazzy and Aunt Kam to McDonald's to have their favorite: Chicken Nuggets and fries and to play on the big toys.
They love the toddler play area at Mickey D's and Delaney definitely thought she was atleast 5 and wanted to (and did) run around with the older kids there. It was so cute, she was screaming and chasing the big kids around. Funny girls. Paisley just watched and laughed.
Then we all went to Claire's and got their ears pierced! Cutest little pearl earrings ever and they were such good sports. They cried for like 15 seconds and then got distracted by all the fun things in the store. My kinda girls, distracted by pretties!
Then we went home and got all ready for the party. We frosted their Minnie Mouse cupcakes and put on the oreo ears and Fruit by the foot bows. So easy to make.
I didn't go wild and crazy with decorations because they are one for heaven's sakes, but I like cute stuff so we cut out some Minnie ears and made Minnie balloons. Not too wild, no Pinterest overkill party, but still perfect for them and us. They loved the Minnie balloons after too.
I made their ears (felt and foam hot glued on a clip) and their bows are hot glued on a clip and on a regular black headband. I sewed the black fabric on their shirts along with the bow and ironed on the letter and their names in Disney font. Not too shabby for a DIY.
Their tutus I made back at Christmas time (knowing I was going to use them on their bday) and they wore them for Christmas and Valentine's pictures. Consequently they were used to wearing them and didn't tug at them or bother with them all night. In fact a few days later, they were dragging them over to me so they could wear them around the house. That's my girls!
They loved pulling tissue paper out of the bags. I'm so glad they actually were interested in the presents.
I made Mickey Mouse Pizza's. So cute.
They loved their pizza but they were antsy to get their hands on their cupcakes. And they devoured their cupcakes like a boss! They get that from dad for sure!
It was fun to have both our families their for their 1st birthday. It is mighty fun living so close to family.
Our little centers of attention. They loved it and all the presents.
Their big present from grandma. Even her wrapping matched the party.
The table and chairs that were inside that box. They felt like pretty big stuff.
The next day we took them to the park for the first time. They got to swing and this is Delaney first, She wasn't so sure about it. She enjoyed walking/running up and down the sidewalks instead of playing on the toys. She saw a big open sidewalk and was in heaven.
Paisley LOVED the swing and swinging high even (not that high, she is only 1 I know). And she loved going down the slides with big sis and then when we let her walk on the sidewalk, she didn't care about distance like her sister, she wanted to stop and survey every item on the sidewalk...
It amazes me how different they are!
I loved every minute, I savored those early months of their life were I lived in my bedroom with them at arms reach in their crib. Thank goodness our room was right next to the kitchen or else I may not have eaten that much. In the nights to give dad his much needed rest for his 4:30am work schedule, we ended up out on the couch. (I know, he should have slept on the couch, we'll do that differently next time). When they were waking up every 3 hours to eat and it took about an hour to get them both fed and back to sleep, it would have made for some very sleepless nights for pops and we didn't want him falling asleep at the wheel for his hour drive at 4:30 so instead I loved and survived the only way I knew how for those first months on naps all day long. It was all I could do to keep afloat.
Once we moved to Idaho, we made the big switch to their own room and then eventually to their own cribs. They still liked waking up every 3-4 hours to eat, but I was so used to it and finally got it down to an art that it didn't take an hour anymore to get them back to sleep (also I stopped pumping at night like I was doing the first 4 months and just nursed them when they woke, so warming up milk at night was no longer and that made it much easier to feed them and put them back to sleep).
Then all of the sudden, they weren't teeny babies anymore, they were turning into little people with cute little personalities. It was so fun and they became so independent. By golly, they were growing up. WOW!
Each stage was so sweet and they were just so much fun. Whenever I think about how hard it is, it immediately takes me back to my infertility days and I realize those days were MUCH harder, then I tear up a little and snuggle that child who has kept me up from 2am-4am and then she drifts off to sleep finally and 30 minutes later her sister wakes up. And I smile. I love these little girls and feel so blessed to be their mother. I am so grateful I've been given this chance by my heavenly Father to watch over some of his sweet children. He has given me 3 beautiful daughters, on loan, from heaven to raise, watch over and guide in the right direction. I'm not saying it isn't' hard, because it is, but it is something I will never complain about because this is a calling from God. Being a mother is one of the greatest gifts on earth, and regardless of how motherhood comes to you (through step-parenting, adoption, or fertility treatments or even the good old fashion way), I want you to know it is the greatest calling on earth. We are partners with our heavenly Father raising his beloved children here on earth. So next time our kids drive us BONKERS....remember that and remember it is our responsibility to raise them in righteousness. These innocent little soles are looking to us, that makes me want to be better every single day. Maybe not a cleaner house, but it makes me want to shove all that laundry out of the way and push all the dirty diapers/toys/books/who knows what else into one corner so their is room on the floor for me to get down on their level and read books or play ball and they love it. The minute I sit down with them on the floor, they get all giddy and excited. Get down at their level more often, they love it! I'm talking to myself but you all should do it too..:)
So here's to March, I've got some pretty awesome plans for Autumn's 12th birthday. She is going into young Women's and it's going to be amazing. She also gets to go through the temple and do baptisms. I'm so excited for Wade and I to get to take her to the temple for a baptism trip. It will truly be unforgettable.
Well, miraculously, they babies are still sleeping and I got through this entire post without them waking up!!!! BUT Autumn just got home from school, so I am outta here. Motherhood calls!
Thanks for reading and listening to me ramble!
Finally here are their pictures from each month up until they turned one! OH sad, they were so little.
