Happy 1st Birthday, Alton & Ashlyn!!!

One year.  Seriously?  No.  I'm having a hard time believing it!  We really survived? 

 I won't lie, the first few months are a total blur.  This year has flown by (well, for the most part).  There are things I won't miss (all the relux... dark memories) but there are things that I will cherish- all the giggles and smiles, watching them discover new things and getting excited.  The way they run at us with arms wide open with a big goofy smile.  Those are the moments that will be forever in my memory. We are so very thankful for these littles.  I know I keep saying that, but it's true.  We are so very blessed to have them in our lives.  Our lives have forever changed for the better.  They truly are our miracle babies.

We had a big party planned for their 1st birthday.  I sent out cute invitations that I made myself (I really am surprised with how well they turned out!),

bought cute decorations, started buying the food, people were coming from out of town, lots of others had rsvpd... everything was going to be so amazing!  Alas, nothing ever goes how we think it will.  The colds/ear infections from our already crazy December crept into Christmas and their birthdays.  We had to make the decision to postpone the party.  We were so bummed.  We were so over the ear infections and colds. 

Because I didn't talk about Christmas last post- I'll talk a little about it.  We had some decorations up and I made stockings for all of us!  We didn't put up a tree.  I was bummed about that.  I even made a tree skirt.  We just were all sick and didn't want to bother with it.  Next year though!!

We missed Christmas eve festivities with Jon's family.  Jon's parents and sister, Leanna came over before heading to see Beth and her family.  The babies loved having them here.

Christmas day was pretty quiet.  The babies opened toys and were excited about the new things they got.  Books, cars, a spinning wheel, blocks, their own little cell phones, stuffed animals.. were mostly what they got.  Later on in the day, the babies seemed like they were doing alright.  No one had gotten sick so we figured it would be safe to go to Jon's parent's house to see family.  We all had really great time- even though we were sick.  Here is to hoping that Christmas next year will be sans ear infections!

On the babies actual birthday we had family over for cupcakes and ice cream.

I made them their one year outfits :)

Alton and Ashlyn didn't really care for their cakes.  We had to feed them small pieces to see if they would actually like it.  Needless to say, they didn't really care for it.  They loved all the attention though and loved it when we sang to them.

Grandma and Grandpa got them a lawn mower and a gum ball machine with rolling balls.  They love them both!  It's fun to see them pick up balls and put them into the machine and hit the lever to make them come out.  Alton loves his lawn mower.  It makes noises and there are parts that spin and he loves watching it.

Their one year appointment was on Jan. 7th.  I was so thankful that I wasn't alone.  Anne (Grandma/Jon's mom) was so kind in coming and helping me.  I could not have made it through that appointment by myself.

Poor babies had shots and had to get blood taken.  Ashlyn was a champ in the lab getting her finger pricked and getting blood taken.  She held onto her blanket and was a tough cookie!  She didn't even cry :)  Alton wasn't so calm.  He started crying before he got his finger pricked.  I think he was nervous of the unfamiliar nurse.  He just has a tender heart.  There were lots of tears from both from their shots.  Alton was nervous for the whole thing.  He cried when he got weighed, he cried when the doctor looked in his ears and eyes.  He was just traumatized.  Poor little guy.  Ashlyn fussed a bit too.

We mentioned Ashlyn's right eye that tends to cross a little.  We brought it up at their 9mo appointment and we were told to wait and see how she was doing at a year old.  So we received a referral for an ophthalmologist to check them out and see if it's of any concern. We'll be going at the end of January.

Otherwise, the babies were healthy.  Their ears both weren't fully healed when the doctor looked at them, but they weren't infected.

Stats time!

Alton

Weight:  22lbs 3.5oz (61%)
Height: 29.5" (32%)
Head: 18.7" (85%)



Ashlyn

Weight: 20lbs 3oz (54%)
Height: 29.75" (65%)
Head: 18.5" (91%)


Alton words (most of these he understands- some... I still wonder :) ): Hi! (with a small wave), Sookie, cheerio, touch down, dada, grandpa, tasty, cheese, thank you, dad-dum (not sure what this means.. but he says it all the time- we're thinking it might be him saying Alton), ball, meow, more, done, mum-mum... I'll take it haha... close enough to mama, right?, baba (bottle)

Ashlyn words: b-yub (repeated over and over really fast), once she said "go" hasn't said that ever again, sometiems she meows after sookie meows....

She mimicks actions and follows verbal commands  She can wave, will give you a high five, if you say clap she'll clap, if you say touch down she'll throw her arms in the air.

She loves taking her blocks and roams the house and stashes them in her hiding places.  She dumped some blocks into her dirty clothes hamper the other day and I had no clue.  I did the wash and I heard all sorts of weird noises.  I opened up the washing machine and there were 4 blocks rattling around. See the block in the dishwasher? Yup... every night I have to make a "block run" to make sure I find them all.

Alton still loves everything that spins.  He turns his cars over to spin the wheels. Note the wheel spinning on the dishwasher haha!

He loves balls too.  He loves playing peek a boo.  He giggles so much when you play that with him.

They love when you sing "Pat a cake"... is that how it's said?  I usually just say "patty cake" lol... whatever.  They love it.

Whenever Ashlyn is getting her diaper changed, Alton walks over and bends down and gives her kisses on the forehead and cheeks.  It's so so so cute!

Their favorite book is "Barnyard Dance".  We read it like a song.  They both perk up whenever we start reading it and they run over  with big smiles.

Happy Birthday, Alton and Ashlyn!  We love you so very much!