And this is Nora:

And this is us now, Tessa and Nora, respectively:

I would not believe it if the pictures were not right in front of me.

Our bottles are a thing of the past. We can run, not just walk. We talk and sign and hold our own spoons. We kiss and laugh and smile and chase each other around and around. We are best friends.

We sing and dance. We shake rattles. We ask for more.

We play together and apart. We have our own preferences, our own tastes, our own individual personalities.

We love animals and books and music. We love to ride in our wagon. We can color with crayons. We can put our baby dolls to sleep and kiss them good-night.

We shout and scream and giggle. We pre-brief at the beginning of each day and post-brief before we fall asleep. We wear our hearts on our sleeves.

We are warm and friendly and inviting. We love other kids. We are very, very busy.

We share. We apologize. We are gentle.

Sometimes we have bad days, or we are sick or sad.

But mostly we are happy and we have fun.

And we are in love…

We can’t wait to see what 2008 brings.

 Yesterday when we were playing on the slide we were practicing taking turns.  But when Tessa went down the slide, she wanted to come back up the slide while Nora was trying to go down.  We told her to “go around” and she would stand up and run “around” in a circle.  It was hilarious.

The baby dolls get more kisses and hugs than anyone else.  I am often jealous.

Books are often read simultaneously and are frequently read upside down.  It’s a skill.

Nora loves to try on clothes (see below) and mix and match shoes and socks, but this morning when Daddy went into the nursery to get the girls up, Nora had somehow managed to take off her shirt and was giggling uncontrollably.

Tessa loves to hide in the tunnel.  The girls touch hands through the tunnel and giggle and giggle and giggle, like there is some mysterious creature on the other side.

Every day is a new adventure.

 

on a Saturday morning.

This past weekend we were honored to attend the wedding our cousin Layne, and her very strapping husband, Greg Potter. 

This weekend was a “first” of many things for us.  Our first airplane ride, our first night away from home, our first three-day-pass to pacifier heaven…

We got to play with so many of our family members.  And, I have to say, the girls were marvelous. 

We got to see our great Granny again and we made quick work of all her magazines and breakables.  She was so gracious to allow us to spend some time with her in her cozy home.

We got to eat cookies, cookies, cookies!  Tess:

Nora:

Tessa wanting a bite of Nora’s cookie:

The wedding was beautiful for so many reasons.  It was beautiful in its own right–as two people share their love for each other with their community of family and friends–and it was beautiful in the thoughtful details and the labor of love that it took to piece each part of it together.  Layne and Callie, Joyce and Mike, were all so gracious to us and so patient with us.  And we appreciate it and give thanks to them.  It seemed like such a whirlwind of a trip to us.

But I did take one moment to look over at Layne and Callie at the reception.  And in the midst of all of the excitment, I caught a glimpse of the future.  As the two of them leaned into each other to tell a story, to make a comment, to whisper a secret—I saw my girls. 

There is a unique bond between twins that is so incredible I cannot find the words to describe it.  But I can see it. 

And, as we raised our sippy-cups to Layne and Greg in celebration of the wonderful life that they will live together…

I was also reminded of the life that my girls will share with each other and allow us to be a part of.  We should be so lucky and blessed to have such beautiful, wonderful girls as Callie and Layne…And for that, I raise my glass.