And then.. They turned 3!
I tucked my 2 year old twins in bed tonight for the last time. Because tomorrow, they will become 3 year old twins. This year has been different for me. You see the first 2 years of their tiny lives I worked. I worked a lot. And time passed quickly. Insanely fast. 1 to 2 was a blur. The past 10 months that I stayed at home have been different. Time has passed quickly but in a much different way. No, I can't believe its been 3 years since we brought these little guys home with us. I can so clearly remember the night before we went to the hospital to deliver them. I was huge. I was scared. I couldn't sleep. I cried, I prayed. I knew that while I was carrying 3 sweet babies, that I would only be bringing home 2. I got on my knees in their nursery just asking God that these twin boys be healthy and to give me the strength to endure whatever happened at delivery.
And... today I rejoice! I rejoice in the time I have had with them. I rejoice in their health. I am GRATEFUL. I am overwhelmed by His Goodness in allowing me to not miss a moment. New words, funny laughter, tantrums, excitement, tears I have counted everyone this year. And with this time has brought a new closeness. This age has brought a new dimension to our relationship. We talk. We discuss the matters at hand. We make jokes together. We learn together. We have great adventures together and we have breakdowns together.
From the beginning I have always strived to strike a balance between their "twinness" and their individuality. Starting when they entered school at the recommendations of teachers and other moms, they began to dress different. Although now at 3 they often choose to dress alike. They both have very different ideas usually about what they should wear. Take their pajamas for example. They went pajama shopping with me and while they played, I chose 2 pairs of glow in the dark dino pj's. Upon inspection, Beckett was delighted but Eli said "no way". He shopped the rack himself and chose his favorite - construction pj's. They did however agree on both getting firetruck pajamas too :-)
They have both been perfectly satisfied with their choices too. One thing they do agree on however, is super heroes. Dressing up, watching, playing, reading, and anything that involves super heroes. We have one of every costume and occasionally there is a fuss on both wanting the same but the other can usually pretty easily be talked into another costume with the lure of a fabulous accessory. We love to dress up for any occasion. Much to dad's dismay, the will go pretty much anywhere I will let them in costume. Another agreement? Playgrounds are the best. What better combination than super heroes and playgrounds. We are blessed in Houston and our area to have amazing parks and outdoor areas to play.
They both love to help me in the kitchen and can often be found helping me prepare meals. You can see their personalities come out when we do hands on activities. Eli likes his food, toys, clothes, or anything really to be lined up exactly right. Beckett could care less. He piles things on, puts things on crooked, makes a huge mess. Mr. Bossy man Eli will tell him EXACTLY what he should be doing!
What else do they have in common? A love of ice cream of course!
My sweet Beckett, my first born. Soft, cuddly, sweet, little Beckett. Sugar and gooey soft cheeks. Soft hands that want to hold yours. Sensitive but happy. Best little dimple smile in the world. Funniest tantrums ever. He says "I'm MAD!" crosses his arms and tries to have a really mad face. But like his sunny personality, it usually only takes a few minutes and he is grinning again.
Excited about everything and looking oh so much like his dad as a toddler. The elephant that we now have on our front porch is a special guy. Justin painted this elephant with his granddaddy years ago. Look at these shaggy haired cuties!
His voice melts me. In contrast to his brother, he has a real baby voice. Its soft, its funny, its exactly what I always want to remember. His favorite phrase, "uh, ok". Here I made him say it for me so that I could have it recorded forever!
I love that when I see him he says "It's me mom, It's me Beckett" I love that he says I love you freely. He takes your face in his hands and says "look at me. listen to me. I love you" Just like his daddy taught him. It will melt you. Seriously. He is super polite and says "please" about 1000 times a day. Sometimes I don't even know what he is asking he just says "please mommy? please?" He always says "oh mommy and throws his arms around me when I am He loves to dance. He loves to run. He loves to be silly. And he loves his cartoons. Mickey and Super Hero Squad ranking in the top but he really loves them all. Except anything spooky or scary. Mr. Beckett is not the bravest of little ones. One of his favorite phrases is "Lets get out of here!"
Both boys love to read books but Beckett has always and continues to have a true affection for his books. We can often find him in his room "reading". He has a little green flashlight in his beds and some mornings when I go in he has gotten a few books in his bed and is reading with his flashlight.
Topping both of their list of favorite books? Pete the Cat of course. And mommy's too! I love to read them but I don't really have to any more because they know every word. They sing the songs. I love to hear them walking around saying "It's all good".
Beckett one true love in life besides his mommy :-) is MILK. He loves it. LOVES it. Not having it can be the cause of much trouble in our lives so we try to never ever be out of milk. His favorite foods are pancakes, biscuits, sausage, chicken, hotdogs, broccoli, corn, pepperoni pizza, fish, mac & cheese, quesadillas, steak, french fries (of course), and always washed down with milk. Here is a funny video when Eli was trying to get some of Beckett's chicken.
I cannot believe that after all the rough spots we went through with Beckett he has turned out to be my good sleeper. He loves his Buzz Lightyear night light. He always picks out quite the assortment of "friends" to sleep with. He says "good night mommy or daddy" and then maybe plays a few minutes but usually goes right to sleep.
His brother Eli on the other hand was a GREAT sleeper up until August of this year and he would still be if we let him sleep in our bed! I usually have to go in once a night and pat his back, lay in the floor a few minutes, and he will go right back down. Then he gets up between 5 and 6 and gets in our bed and snoozes right until 8. That just proves that this guy.. is a rotten stink bug (as I like to call him!) Affectionally of course.
He's my jokester. He's my little comedian. He is a big talker. His words and pronunciation are so clear. He is constantly correcting Beckett. Beckett says "ipap" and Eli will say "No Beckett its and IPADDD" Ha! He is a champion procrastinator at bedtime or nap time. He will one more time you all night long if you let him. He is pretty tough but can be sensitive. He is my rule follower. Even though sometimes he doesn't follow them, he is quick to recite them and make sure Beckett follows them :-) He says he is a good listener and we are working on that. As much as Beckett loves super heroes, this guy loves trucks, trains, and cars. He loves to play outside and usually is the first to make friends on the playgrounds and when we are out. He LAUGHS a lot. And if he makes you laugh, watch out. HE LIVES FOR IT!
Recent videos at a friend's birthday party will give you a peek into his crazy fun loving personality. When Beckett's was asked if he wanted to do this.. he said "NO WAY" You can see Beckett in the first video behind Eli cautiously climbing into the pit. Not Eli.. "To Infinity And Beyond!!"
Eli is my good eater. Shocking that its reversed from when they are little. He eats a wider variety of foods and the same things at Beckett's but his true love is his sweet tooth. And he loves cereal bars, power bars, noodles, kale chips, and mash potatoes. All things Beckett won't touch. Eli's downfall :-) Love of juice! He hates milk. Hates it. He won't let it pass his lips in a cup or in cereal. He eats his dry. And he hates anything that he deems as "spicy" or "saucy" So eat his pizza with just cheese.
Favorite phrases? There are so many! He talks like a little adult and he talks a lot. He is very very observant. I have so many stories of him observing things that I never even noticed. Like the time they painted at the gym. He immediately noticed the wall was yellow. Or that the rainbow was "missing" at church when they changed it out. He is my little helper. He is great at finding things. And he always says "mom, I looked everywhere!" He makes up the greatest stories when he is playing. He narrates and has the biggest imagination. He says things like "this will be perfect" or "that's a good idea" or one of my favorites "this is not going to be good!" And that's usually before he does something that truly is not going to be good.
As different as they are they have this amazing twin bond and growing relationship. I have to tell you that over the last year I have really increased my prayer time around their relationship with each other. Because a year ago at 2 they were fighting all the time. I long for them to be close and grow up with an incredible relationship. I pray that both their hearts would be drawn to Christ and each other. I see glimpses and peeks of these prayers being answered all the time. They have started to play together so well at times. Like well enough that we can leave them in their room to play together and not have to monitor 100%. Crazy.
The sweetest moments though aren't ones that I catch on camera. They are the moments like at bed time. When Eli always gives Beckett a hug and a kiss. I remember one night Justin was out of town and I was trying to put Beckett down. Eli was told to wait a minute in his room and he kept opening Beckett's door. I would tell him to shut it. Then finally after getting really frustrated at him he opened the door and said so sweetly "But mommy, I just want to say good night. I love you Beckett." Their teachers and Sunday school teachers always talk to me about how sweet they are to each other when I am not around. That makes my heart happy. They are starting to say things like "can I have a piece of your candy or can I share your cheese balls?" and the other one gladly shares! Hallelujah!! Yesterday at small group I heard Beckett sniffling and calling mom from the playroom (they had a babysitter) and I went to check. They were both standing at the window together looking out at my car. Eli had his arm patting Beckett's back and was saying "its okay Beckett. Mommy will be right back!" They were hugging and crying and looking for me!
On this birthday as I document their statistics like height and weight, I am struck by how all that changes as they get older.
Life seems to move past what percentile we are in or what size clothes we wear and becomes more about matters of character. How can I instill a compassion and kindness for others? Are they sharing? Are they learning not only the ABC's but are they learning how to interact well with others. Are they learning and storing away the Word in their hearts?
This past year brought about many challenges in discipline. In learning how to discipline them and how to work it our between Justin and I too. This year brought about many frustrations for all of us as navigate a household now filled not with babies or little toddlers but little people with their own sets of personality, wants, feelings, and emotions. As I tuck them in bed tonight, their first night of being 3 (no, I did not get this finished in one night like I planned!) my heart reflects on the year ahead. What will the road to 4 look like? What changes will it bring? What will they be like next year at this time? Who knows when the Lord will call me to work again. Who knows what will happen over the next year but for now, I am going to cherish this childhood while I can. Thanking God for each tear, each laugh, each tantrum, each tender moment, each late night and early morning knowing that He is using me as part of His beautiful plan for their lives.
Love,
The Riley's
And... today I rejoice! I rejoice in the time I have had with them. I rejoice in their health. I am GRATEFUL. I am overwhelmed by His Goodness in allowing me to not miss a moment. New words, funny laughter, tantrums, excitement, tears I have counted everyone this year. And with this time has brought a new closeness. This age has brought a new dimension to our relationship. We talk. We discuss the matters at hand. We make jokes together. We learn together. We have great adventures together and we have breakdowns together.
From the beginning I have always strived to strike a balance between their "twinness" and their individuality. Starting when they entered school at the recommendations of teachers and other moms, they began to dress different. Although now at 3 they often choose to dress alike. They both have very different ideas usually about what they should wear. Take their pajamas for example. They went pajama shopping with me and while they played, I chose 2 pairs of glow in the dark dino pj's. Upon inspection, Beckett was delighted but Eli said "no way". He shopped the rack himself and chose his favorite - construction pj's. They did however agree on both getting firetruck pajamas too :-)
They have both been perfectly satisfied with their choices too. One thing they do agree on however, is super heroes. Dressing up, watching, playing, reading, and anything that involves super heroes. We have one of every costume and occasionally there is a fuss on both wanting the same but the other can usually pretty easily be talked into another costume with the lure of a fabulous accessory. We love to dress up for any occasion. Much to dad's dismay, the will go pretty much anywhere I will let them in costume. Another agreement? Playgrounds are the best. What better combination than super heroes and playgrounds. We are blessed in Houston and our area to have amazing parks and outdoor areas to play.
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| Spiderman saving the grocery store |
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| Loving the webs on the playground |
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| superman and his side kick Captain America |
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| Captain America on a walk at the park |
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| Thor waking up from nap |
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| Eli summoning "lightening" and "thunder" |
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| Iron man |
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| Fun day at the playground |
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| Captain America at gymboree |
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| Batman and Thor trying to ride hand me down tris from the neighbors twin girls |
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| Captain America - seeing double! |
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| Making pizzas |
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| pumpkin muffins |
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| Making mom some chips |
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| Ice cream treat post flu vac |
My sweet Beckett, my first born. Soft, cuddly, sweet, little Beckett. Sugar and gooey soft cheeks. Soft hands that want to hold yours. Sensitive but happy. Best little dimple smile in the world. Funniest tantrums ever. He says "I'm MAD!" crosses his arms and tries to have a really mad face. But like his sunny personality, it usually only takes a few minutes and he is grinning again.
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| This day he said "Go on an adventure with me mom" |
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| Just listening to some tunes |
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| he loved playing on his friends jr golf cart |
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| LOVES LOVES popsicles |
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| And being silly |
Excited about everything and looking oh so much like his dad as a toddler. The elephant that we now have on our front porch is a special guy. Justin painted this elephant with his granddaddy years ago. Look at these shaggy haired cuties!
His voice melts me. In contrast to his brother, he has a real baby voice. Its soft, its funny, its exactly what I always want to remember. His favorite phrase, "uh, ok". Here I made him say it for me so that I could have it recorded forever!
I love that when I see him he says "It's me mom, It's me Beckett" I love that he says I love you freely. He takes your face in his hands and says "look at me. listen to me. I love you" Just like his daddy taught him. It will melt you. Seriously. He is super polite and says "please" about 1000 times a day. Sometimes I don't even know what he is asking he just says "please mommy? please?" He always says "oh mommy and throws his arms around me when I am He loves to dance. He loves to run. He loves to be silly. And he loves his cartoons. Mickey and Super Hero Squad ranking in the top but he really loves them all. Except anything spooky or scary. Mr. Beckett is not the bravest of little ones. One of his favorite phrases is "Lets get out of here!"
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| feeding the ducks and birds so sweet |
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| Let's get out of here! They are chasing us! |
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| Reading with daddy |
Beckett one true love in life besides his mommy :-) is MILK. He loves it. LOVES it. Not having it can be the cause of much trouble in our lives so we try to never ever be out of milk. His favorite foods are pancakes, biscuits, sausage, chicken, hotdogs, broccoli, corn, pepperoni pizza, fish, mac & cheese, quesadillas, steak, french fries (of course), and always washed down with milk. Here is a funny video when Eli was trying to get some of Beckett's chicken.
I cannot believe that after all the rough spots we went through with Beckett he has turned out to be my good sleeper. He loves his Buzz Lightyear night light. He always picks out quite the assortment of "friends" to sleep with. He says "good night mommy or daddy" and then maybe plays a few minutes but usually goes right to sleep.
His brother Eli on the other hand was a GREAT sleeper up until August of this year and he would still be if we let him sleep in our bed! I usually have to go in once a night and pat his back, lay in the floor a few minutes, and he will go right back down. Then he gets up between 5 and 6 and gets in our bed and snoozes right until 8. That just proves that this guy.. is a rotten stink bug (as I like to call him!) Affectionally of course.
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| loves to be silly and loves to play kitchen |
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| LOVE. THIS. FACE. PURE JOY! |
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| Getting a push from friends |
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| snoozing in my bed with my fluffy blanket |
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| Going to play golf with dad |
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| rare moment of relaxation |
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| Where's waldo? We can never find him! |
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| working diligently at sunday school on his butterfly that "God made" |
Recent videos at a friend's birthday party will give you a peek into his crazy fun loving personality. When Beckett's was asked if he wanted to do this.. he said "NO WAY" You can see Beckett in the first video behind Eli cautiously climbing into the pit. Not Eli.. "To Infinity And Beyond!!"
Eli is my good eater. Shocking that its reversed from when they are little. He eats a wider variety of foods and the same things at Beckett's but his true love is his sweet tooth. And he loves cereal bars, power bars, noodles, kale chips, and mash potatoes. All things Beckett won't touch. Eli's downfall :-) Love of juice! He hates milk. Hates it. He won't let it pass his lips in a cup or in cereal. He eats his dry. And he hates anything that he deems as "spicy" or "saucy" So eat his pizza with just cheese.
Favorite phrases? There are so many! He talks like a little adult and he talks a lot. He is very very observant. I have so many stories of him observing things that I never even noticed. Like the time they painted at the gym. He immediately noticed the wall was yellow. Or that the rainbow was "missing" at church when they changed it out. He is my little helper. He is great at finding things. And he always says "mom, I looked everywhere!" He makes up the greatest stories when he is playing. He narrates and has the biggest imagination. He says things like "this will be perfect" or "that's a good idea" or one of my favorites "this is not going to be good!" And that's usually before he does something that truly is not going to be good.
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| This is his look when he is telling me very important things |
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| Tickling each other in their room |
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| Playing in their box together |
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| Decorating their super hero fort together |
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| Of all the furniture and room in my house they choose to watch tv right beside each other |
On this birthday as I document their statistics like height and weight, I am struck by how all that changes as they get older.
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| 36 inches tall, about 32 lbs |
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| 37ish inches tall and about 34 lbs |
This past year brought about many challenges in discipline. In learning how to discipline them and how to work it our between Justin and I too. This year brought about many frustrations for all of us as navigate a household now filled not with babies or little toddlers but little people with their own sets of personality, wants, feelings, and emotions. As I tuck them in bed tonight, their first night of being 3 (no, I did not get this finished in one night like I planned!) my heart reflects on the year ahead. What will the road to 4 look like? What changes will it bring? What will they be like next year at this time? Who knows when the Lord will call me to work again. Who knows what will happen over the next year but for now, I am going to cherish this childhood while I can. Thanking God for each tear, each laugh, each tantrum, each tender moment, each late night and early morning knowing that He is using me as part of His beautiful plan for their lives.
Love,
The Riley's