Happy Birthday To Us...We're the Big 4 Today.

Mike's Birthday Weekend

FRIDAY

Mike's birthday celebration started on Friday when Paige, Taylor and I spent a couple hours in the kitchen baking the birthday cake. Now, this birthday cake might not have gotten so much as even a nod from Martha Stewart, but in our household, it was a truly fabulous cake! Here's why: as Paige and Taylor helped to blend and stir the ingredients in the big bowl, there were lots of "oohs" and "ahhs" as we watched the cake turn its lovely golden yellow AND as we put it in the oven and talked about the cake baking, we also talked about "what a surprise it will be for daddy" when he sees the cake that we made! Later, as Paige and Taylor sat at the table side by side and iced the cake, the girls told me that their cake tasted "mighty good" as they licked their spoons, dipped them back into the icing, licked the spoons again, then smeared what icing remained on the spooons onto the cake. Finally, Paige and Taylor decorated the cake with rainbow colored sprinkles - the same type of sprinkles that the girls always like on their ice-cream when we go to their favorite ice-cream parlor. While the moments and memories of baking the birthday cake were pretty awesome in their own right, it was also pretty cool that the cake actually tasted good too! In fact, it's Sunday night now as I type this posting and we're still enjoying the left-overs of Paige and Taylor's birthday cake for daddy...

Paige helping to stir the ingredients for the cake.

Taylor taking her turn stirring the ingredients together.

Onto icing the cake.

Adding the sprinkles.

Adding more sprinkles...in between taking mouthfuls themselves.

Almost done decorating now...

SUNDAY

The day began with Mike getting a surprise from Paige and Taylor with a couple of Happy Birthday - You're Toadally Old froggie balloons. (Check out the short video). The twins had fun surprising daddy with the balloons and later had more fun chasing after each other with the balloons. About mid-morning, we ventured downtown to walk around the state capitol before the 3-digit temperatures rolled in...we even took Tukker with us on our walk so it was truly a family affair!

Then came golf. Mike got a new golf club for his birthday, so naturally, he wanted to take some time to hit golf balls and get on some greens. While Mike golfed, Paige, Taylor and I went to a nearby park for a couple hours. The day wrapped up with a cook-out and a rather early bed-time for Paige and Taylor. All this partying today really tuckered the twins out! A fun day for daddy. A fun day for all of us.

3-Years Old?! Holy Cow!

Holy cow, I can't believe it, 3 years ago, exactly one week from today – December 11 - I was about to meet, for the first time, two precious little twin girls whom my husband and I had hoped for, dreamed for and prayed for many months!

My sweet Taylor Mackenzie made her appearance at 9:05 AM with her sweet sister Paige Trinity coming right after at 9:06 AM.

It was a Sunday morning and it was the culmination of 6 long, agonizing weeks of hospital bed rest, continuous 24/7 heartbeat monitoring sessions, and multiple injections of terbutaline to prevent and delay pre-term labor to give those little babies one more minute, one more hour, one more day to grow inside me.

Looking ahead to next week, we are keeping the actual birthday very, very, very low-key for the twins this year since their birthday was celebrated a little early with a family vacation to Disneyland this last weekend. Disneyland was their birthday present this year. And, what a way to celebrate turning 3, wouldn’t you agree?!

Thank you to all of our friends, family as well as incredible doctors and specialists these last couple of years – we couldn't have done it with out you! Now, I am off to go love on my two perfect babies!

Highlights of the Twincesses' First Year

Birth

Welcome to the world! Meet Taylor and Paige. Born at 9:05 AM and 9:06 AM Sunday, December 11, 2005.

Three Months

Taylor and Paige have changed quite a bit. They are beginning to interact with their new world – they follow objects and toys and indulge mom and dad with their many cute poses for photos.

The Girl with the Most Shoes Wins!

- Photo: Paige (L) / Taylor (R) -

Six Months

Peek-a-boo becomes a favorite game. They love taking walks in their stroller and start saying “ah-goo” and other sounds.

Playing Peek-A-Boo in the Mirror

- Photo: Taylor (L) / Paige (R) -

Nine Months

Watch out world, they’re mobile! They can go where they want to go and they’re so proud of themselves. They want to play patty-cake, read stories with mom and shed a few tears when dad leaves in the mornings to go to work.

Paige on the Move

Taylor Says: "Hey, Look At Me!"

Eleven Months

What a month! The girls join mom and dad at the voting polls. (They’re our future Republicans in training). They look forward to casting their own votes in 2024. Later in the month, Taylor and Paige jet-set to the East Coast for the Thanksgiving holidays. They spend time in NY and VA visiting with family and friends.

Our Future Republicans in Training. Go GOP!

- Photo: Taylor (L) / Paige (R) -

One Year

Happy birthday! Taylor and Paige enjoy their first cupcakes. Taylor takes to the cupcake right away...Paige was a little less receptive to eating the cupcake but enjoyed opening presents.

What A Party!

- Photo: Taylor (L) / Paige (R) -

Paige Says: "I Hate Cupcakes!"

- Photo: Taylor (L) / Paige (R) -

Taylor Digs In - Yummy Cupcake.