Getting close to the toddler stage

Everyone told me time would fly once the twins got here, and it has, but up until now I feel like the time has passed by relatively slowly, and I contribute that to being blessed with the opportunity to be with the twins each day as a stay at home mommy..I am so thankful that I have been able to enjoy everything with them thus far and soak up all the details, to witness the minor changes. and then the bigger changes as they come along. It makes me feel special that more often than not, I am the first one to witness their new achievements. Brooklyn pulled up in her crib the other day for the first time, and I was right there with my camera to capture the moment. And I could see the sense of accomplishment in her eyes, and how proud she was of herself, and also how proud mommy was. :) Billy may possibly be the fastest crawler I have ever seen. He goes 0-60 in .5 seconds. If we stomp behind him and act like we are going to get him, he starts giggling and crawls even faster. Then when you pick him up he will kick, kick, kick and laugh and laugh. It is so sweet. I could never begin to describe how good it makes me feel to be a mommy. Their joys are my joys. It is so refreshing to no longer want for yourself, but to want for your sweeties. Even when I am seriously exhausted (I'm human, so the frequent nightly wake-ups that are still happening sometimes make me oh so tired) and I need a little individual time, I still find myself thinking of them, looking through pictures and videos of them, working on projects for them, etc. What did I ever do before these two precious children entered my life?

Being at home with them, I have seen my priorities shift dramatically and my spiritual life has been strengthened greatly. I see God in them everyday. Hopefully you understand how I mean that, knowing me. :) They are so innocent, and their biggest concerns are crawling to the next toy, finishing their bottles, laughing at Bubble Guppies, reading I Love You More Than Rainbows, and finishing off their puffs. They appreciate the smallest things. And they show so much love and affection already. Sometimes I wish I could build a haven for them and keep them in the house forever so I could protect them from the world. I know that probably sounds extreme, haha. But then I know Billy and I have what it takes to equip them for the world out there. And we have plenty of time to arrive at that stage. But it doesn't hurt to start early! During our hour of breakfast, I spend the time singing Bible songs to them (in my glorious morning voice), and even when things get hectic with two little ones, we don't miss church service unless one of them is not feeling well. And I say so many prayers for them each day....

The new stage they are in is so exciting, but there is a sense of sadness with it too. All of a sudden, I can see the twins rapidly leaving the baby stage. Our babies were preemies, but for the first several months they met all milestones early, or at least on time. Then when we got to the sitting up, pulling to sitting, crawling, and the pulling up stage, things seemed to progress more slowly. Then all of a sudden, they started doing all those things well within a few weeks of one another. It is amazing how quickly they became extremely mobile.

A few weeks ago we entered into the official stage of no-no's and the "serious mommy look". Prior to that it was just no-no's at random as need be. I can tell this is going to be an interesting task. Luckily, the twins have done great so far (not trying to jinx myself) and typically when I say no-no they stop what they are doing. It is rewarding to see them showing respect for mommy already. And yes, I know this will be a long process. Haha I'm by no means oblivious to the years to come. lol But just appreciating the small success so far. :)

I can already tell that this toddler stage is going to be so much fun for us. As they become more and more mobile, I can see a whole new level of contentment entering their world. I am planning their first birthday right now and am so excited about it. We are having a small get together, just close family and a few friends, and I am pumped! Our theme is owls, since they are my little "night owls." :) I can't wait to celebrate the first birthday of the two most important people in the world, well, at least my world. :)

Thank you Lord for blessing me with Billy Ray and Brooklyn Rose!