Birthday Boys

Tomorrow is the twins' birthday. They are going to be 9! Today they said, "I think you forgot that tomorrow is our birthday, Mom." How could I forget? As soon as October comes around every year, and that feeling of fall is in the air, and the weather gets cooler and surprises you (yes, all my tomato plants got frost-bitten AGAIN this year), I remember. It was probably around this time nine years ago that a well-meaning and kind nurse from the NICU came to my hospital bed and sat down with a cute little scrapbook all about preemies to show to James and I. I just remember trying to ignore her, which is hard to do when you're the only ones in the room, and hoping against hope that it wouldn't be my babies who were photographed next laying beside the $1 bills. She showed us a tiny diaper and I cringed and averted my eyes. She showed us "cute" little footprints and handprints and I tried not to cry.

After that weekend nine years ago, our lives were never the same again. I remember one day when we had Ryrie home and Will was still in the hospital. I was holding Ry and looking at him and he was gazing back steadily. It was the first time I've experienced that with my own baby and I've loved doing it with each one of my boys as they've come along. When they are at a certain age they are able to hold that focus and just gaze and gaze at you, it is like a conversation but deeper. I remember feeling pretty choked up as I looked at him and realized how huge he was inside, and how he had gone through all this horrible stuff and it hadn't affected what and who he was and he was going to be okay.

One of the biggest things I learned from the NICU experience was that we have relatives and friends who love us a lot. And the boys are loved by these people, and that is a huge reason we and they made it through that time. Love goes a long way and so do prayers! That is something worth remembering as each day flies by and new challenges come our way. Even though the boys are becoming really independent and ride their bikes all over town to school, cubs, friend's houses, to the pharmacy for a treat, or the post office or grocery store for Mom, they still like to be tucked in at night and I think they secretly like the hugs and kisses I give them, (they wipe them off right away, but they don't know they're actually rubbing them in) and they still say they miss me when I'm at a meeting for two hours.
Happy Birthday Twinners! We love you!