When I woke up Wednesday morning, I had been a "mother" for one year. That's 12 months - only 52 weeks or 365 short days. In that amount of time, I've probably changed over 3,000 diapers, produced over 12,000 ounces of milk from my own body and washed hundreds of loads of laundry. I've also seen thousands of smiles, 10 teeth, wiped a million tears and given gazillion hugs. I've seen two springs, one summer, one fall and one winter. This will be our first summer together, as a family. My daughters will enjoy the sunshine, the flowers, grass (and even bugs). This year probably won't stand out in my girls' minds, but I know it will never leave mine. Next year at this time they'll be running everywhere, eating "real" foods and wanting to play at the park. I'm sure that in about two more years they'll be begging us to go "camping." ...even though it will most likely be in the back yard.

Scott and I are planning to take the girls to Florida this fall. Funny how planning a trip for months in advance seems forever away. But put it in relation to your babies growing and it passes in the blink of an eye.

A year ago Wednesday, I became a mother. A badge of honor I will always carry with me, even when I'm no longer of this world. Of course Wee and Lou have no concept of time - or the fact that celebrating their first year was so important. But one year ago, my life was changed forever. When I see these precious girls catch me out of the corner of their eye and light up at the sight of me, forever isn't going to be long enough.

Happy birthday babies! You're my heart, my soul, my life. Forever and ever.

I'm making Lauren and Whitney's party hats this year, in hopes that they can wear them in years to come. I'm sure that's a pipe dream - as they'll rip them off their heads, pop the ribbons off and tear the flowers off (Whitney will most certainly try to eat all of the aforementioned items)...but, at least I'll have the pictures to prove it. :)

I've always liked our house and have been relatively pleased with how our landscaping has filled in and bloomed and grown over the years. The winters are so BLAH with everything dead and gray. Then, once spring and summer are here, the front of our house never fails to brighten my day. This year however, I can't wait for the girls to "pick" flowers for me, pulling the actual blossom off its stem and squishing it in their dirty hands as they run up to me, handing it to me with love. Even the dandilions will be put in vases of water and look beautiful to me.

"The sweetest flowers in all the world - a baby’s hands." - Algernon Charles Swinburne

Mommy took us to our first Cincinnati Flower Show yesterday. Our good friend Sophie and her mommy came too and although we were sleepy (one of us didn't nap at ALL yesterday), we enjoyed being outside and looking at all the beautiful things!

"Flowers are words which even a baby can understand." - Arthur C. Coxe


A neat tree that looks like piggy tails...


Sophie and her mommy standing in front of the giant peacock!


Mommy tried to get a picture with both of us, but we wanted to look at other things!




Mommy's FAVORITE flower, the Cymbidium Orchid (no, we can't say that yet).


Our favorite display...pretty butterflies!

When we woke up, we found the Easter Bunny had visited! She left us really soft, stuffed animals and Easter eggs filled with apple-cinnamon puffs! We had a great time finding the eggs and we love our new pets!

For Easter, we took the girls about an hour and 1/2 away to a large flea market. Most of the market was geared toward farm animals so the girls got to see their first llama's, chicken's, coat's, horses, ducks, piggy's and bunnies. We even saw the Easter Bunny, even though we didn't quite know what to make of everything!

We have two gates - one keeping the girls out of the kitchen, the other to keep them from going around the long way, into the kitchen. This one is a wider gate with netting - Whitney likes to look out the front door...and squish her face into it!

I like to run away when mommy tries to change my diaper. :)

“Laughter is like changing a baby's diaper. It doesn't permanently solve any problems, but it makes things more acceptable for a while.” - Unknown




I don't think sissy knows we all have one...

I hosted a party for all of us who used to work at FW Publications, on Writer's Digest Magazine. There's only one lonely staffer remaining, so we decided to get together for what is hopefully now a frequent thing. Our annual "The Staff Formerly Known As WD" party. Thanks to Lisa for the pix, as I was too busy with the girls to remember to take any!

A Not-so-"Nude Descending a Staircase," Kristin and her daughter Dana:


Brian (the remaining WDer) tickling Ella - with wife Brittany in the background (who was pregnant at the time, but now has another beautiful addition to the Klems family - welcome Anna Jo!):


Maria (our #2), deep in conversation with daughter Olivia at her side:


(A blurry) Lisa holding Whitney:


Kara, Andy and Sophie (I'm not sure what Kara's doing here...either gasping that Andy is letting her grab fireplace matches, or eating some of the delicious foods everyone brought!):


The rest of the gang! Left to Right: Maria #2 Schneider, Tom Zeit (not officially of WD, but an ex-FWer), Kristin Godsey, Maria Witte, Robin Hampton.


Mommy and Whitney:

It was the perfect day outside today. I have been wanting to take the girls outside and put them in the grass - I remember my sister Carmen HATING the feeling of grass on her feet, while Billy and Sadie didn't mind and loved it! It took me over 20 minutes to finally "convince" Lauren that it was OK to put her feet and hands in the grass! But then...





Whitney was a little more apprehensive at first, which surprised me. But, like her younger sister, she too got used to the prickly grass and had a great time. She even resorted to doing us a favor of getting rid of the dandelions...by eating them!