Avery and Riggs's 1st birthday

Through the eyes of Aunt B....

the "big" cake

party favors and hats

the tags on the party favors

Sweets, sweets and more sweets

Miia and Avery pre-party

Avery in a custom Dearie dress

Not so sure of what Ryker is up to...

...as he goes in to get your hat!

Not too happy about that!

One proud mama!

Riggs up from his nap.

Riggs' cake

Avery's cake

Riggs is not so sure about the cake.

Nor is Avery for that matter...

...but she is ALL about the attention from the big girls!

What about me?

Looks like Abi has gotten into some cake.  Notice the white crumbs on her ear?

Ryker tuckered out from all the festivities!

Shy pigglets

This afternoon I watched the twins while Anne ran some last-minute party errands. 

beautiful Avery

They were both a bit fussy, so I decided to give them a snack - a cup of Cheerios, or Cho-chos as we call them.  Avery and Riggs were fighting over the cup and couldn't get the Cho-Chos in their mouths fast enough.

Eating Cho-chos with Maggie ready to bat clean up.

Give me some more FOOD!

Since I had my girls' dinner of red beans and rice ready, I got out the highchairs and started feeding Avery and Riggs.  Avery was shoveling the food in her mouth, and Riggs would grunt at me if I stopped feeding him to help Avery.

scraping an empty bowl in search of more food

Hmmm...how do I get Aunt B to give me more of that stuff?

I know, flash her my adorable smile!

Aunt B, stop taking pictures and just feed me!

They were gobbling up their second ladle full of red beans, so I called Anne to get some guidance.  She couldn't believe they were both eating so much, but gave me the go ahead to give them some more.  They both ate their third helping with the same gusto as their first!

Either I am an excellent cook (doubtful since it was boxed red beans and rice) or the twins are going through a growth spurt!

Birthday wishes from Aunt B

It is hard to believe that today the Crying Ryan twins turn one!  It seems like just yesterday I got the call from Anne asking me about what happens when your water breaks.

Avery and Riggs, I have loved watching you grow over the past year and practice my skills as a twin mom (I am bound and determined to be one myself!). 

Avery, I love your determination and your diva sass.  You remind me so much of my own girls, and they love you as if you were their sister.

Riggs, you are like all the men in my life that I love so much.  You are quiet and thoughtful, yet when you do "speak" it is worth paying attention to.  You're inner circle is small, and I feel blessed to be apart of it. 

Happy birthday Avery and Riggs!  May your lives be filled with more laughter than tears, more health than sickness, and more love than your heart can hold.

The birthday girl

The birthday boy

Meeting their Mama....January 6, 2009

How much they have grown in one short year!

It was much harder to get both of their faces this year!

My Frannie bird at your "party"

My big girl, Charlotte, singing Happy Birthday To YOU!

Riggs not so sure of his cupcake.  No worries Riggs, this is just a practice run.

Even Avery, who will eat anything, was unsure of what to think.

But she quickly got into the icing.

Hmmm....how do I get more of that?

Even Riggs came around and decided that cake was GOOD!

I still just can't believe it

Happy Birthday - Morning Fun

Mommy laid out our outfits for school!

Riggs Trey Ryan

Avery Kathryn Ryan

Two silly little monkey's!

"I'm gonna get you!"

Roaring?!?

My angel standing all on her own

It's our Birthday!

364 days since...

the last time I had uninterrupted sleep. I can honestly say that every moment with our babies is worth it. Tonight I am thinking back on how much joy they have brought to our lives and how much they have grown. Avery and Riggs started out a little small (4lbs9ozs and 4lbs5ozs, respectively) but if you saw them now you would have thought they were born normal sizes!!

Everyday I thank God for bringing me two perfect little angels - that are growing up way too fast!! There is nothing more nourshing for the soul than having your child look up at you with their full blown smile...and let me tell you these kids melt my heart daily with their smiles. It amazes me that they have gone from barely eating anything, to eating everything in site! Avery started out the better eater but Riggs is now really enjoying the food! They have also gone from never moving (love the swaddle!) to moving constantly. Getting a diaper on these kids somedays should be an olympic sport!

The past year has by far been one of the most challenging years of my life. I know some people think I made it look easy, but all I did was do what I had to do to survive. The whole bedrest thing definitely made things more difficult after I had the babies. All the things moms do to get ready for a baby had to be done from a horizontal position. I do believe the challenge of raising twins would have been easier had we not just moved south, bought a house, then move in and decide to emodel!! What in the world were we thinking!! So without doubt the thing that has weighed on me is the fact that I have never been fully settled in this house. Mind you it took a good two years before our house in Balitmore was up to my organizational standards. I hope in 2010 I can get our house into serious shape by putting things where they belong and decluttering. But enough about that...

I want to thank my husband, Dearie, and all of my wonderful friends and family that have gone out of their way to make things a little easier for me. I truly could not have done it without you.

Now I am going to go to sleep so that I can be a %100 for their very first birthday tomorrow!! (maybe tonight there won't be any interuptions ;)

Weighing in at...

Today, Anne took the twins to see Dr. Bailey while Tim worked. Avery still maintains a 6-oz edge on her leaner, not-meaner brother (21 lbs 11 ozs vs. 21 lbs 5 ozs).

She's faster on her feet too, buddy, so we'll have to work on guile and deceit to even out her physical advantages. Luckily, you've got the full mane of hair and wry smile necessary to be charming.

Avery's gone vertical

It's official...as of today, our little girl can stand on her own. It's brief, and if you're not paying attention you can confuse it with a "slow fall" from whatever piece of furniture or stand-up toy she had just pulled up on. But, if you watch carefully, you can see a few seconds of balance before her butt hits the ground.

Anne and I are celebrating by seeing a movie tonight...Invictus, starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. So many of my life's more important memories (happy and sad) are tied to rather mundane things that happened that day. I remember the two together for some reason. For instance, when I found out Pepau Ryan passed away, I was playing an off road game on Nintendo, and that memory has stuck with me as vividly as speaking with Uncle Dan about Pepau. So, Avery, whenever I remember you standing, I'll think of rugby, Nelson Mandela, and the end of apartheid.

I think Emma taught her this...

Riggs has been saying "Dada" (repeatedly, over and over) for quite a while now (he either really likes his daddy or has no idea what he's muttering), but Avery finally joined in and identified a family member too...Abi. She really says "Abu" or "Aba" or "Abbbbb," but she tends to do it when Abi wanders into the room, so we know what she's getting at. She's always been fascinated by the dog, which we think she might have picked up from Miss Emma Bailey. Hopefully this is the first step in a series of steps leading to Abi to having a consistent playtime companion again, like she did with Anne and me before the kids were born.

He said Mama!!!

Big moment today, especially for me (Mommy). Tim and I were running around like crazy, frantically preparing for our first annual Christmas party, while Riggs chilled in his high chair in the living room, watching Baby Einstein and eating Cheerios. As I walked into the room, he lifted a pudgy hand in my general direction, looked dead at me, and said "Mama" (!!). Tim's repeated efforts at getting the kids do this (which, to date, have featured Tim saying "Mama" to the kids, only to have them respond 'Dadadadada" (Riggs) or "Abi" (Avery)) finally paid off.

Keeping me on my toes

Frances and I watched the twins today so Anne could get the finishing touches done for her Christmas party.  Avery and Riggs made sure to give me a great workout trying to keep up with all their exploring.  And it looks like I need to do a bit more baby-proofing around the house!

Riggs chillin' playing music while drinking his bottle.

Riggs, I'll take that, thank you very much!

Don't worry Aunt B, Aunt Beth showed me how to climb these things.
Thank you Aunt Beth oh so much for this new skill!

Avery, wait for me!

Come on Avery, climb faster!

double the trouble!

Maggie guarding Riggs

Happy boy banging on the coffee table

Avery showing off her teeth

and trying to master Frances' juice

the most adorable fireman

Aunt B, I'm gonna take this one for the road!

Well, if Riggs get the wine, I'll just have a Bloody Mary!