The Birthdays.

We have missed posting about every single birthday this year (and last year too, I think).  Here goes a look at all the birthdays, since we have just closed out the birthday season with Darin's birthday on February 21.  We'll start with the most recent and work our way backwards...

Darin turned 37 in 2012.  Here was his traditional cake shot:

One year later, a few more grey hairs, fewer hours of sleep, and two kids later, we celebrated his 38th birthday:

A table full of love!

The day before Darin's birthday, our sweet girls turned 8!  We are looking forward to their baptism on March 22nd.  How does it all go by so fast?!

At 8, our girls are as alive and full of excitement and life as ever!  They still love to read and have imaginations that make me proud.  We gifted them with their very own dedicated reading nook this year for their birthday.  You can often find them reading, playing, imagining, or planning in that space.  

Jane is obsessed with The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.  And Ruby's love for The Little House on the Prairie series is as strong as ever.  I love that they are each their own person, and yet share a very strong and secure love for their "other-half".  What a joy they are.  

Wednesday nights have suddenly gotten a lot more quiet around the house.  With Darin begin the Young Men's president, he and Henry either have Scouts or a Youth activity.  George goes to 11 year-old scouts, and now the girls join them for Activity Day Girls!  I get to stay home with the babies.  I don't think I ever would have guessed the year the girls started ADG that I'd be home with a set of baby twins :) 

George's birthday!

Since this is George's last birthday in North Carolina, and he is possibly our most social kid, we wanted to give him a big birthday party.  He invited a great group of friends to go to Defy Gravity (indoor trampoline type place) 

At 11, George is obsessed with Minecraft.  He got a laptop for Christmas and he has remained busy learning the ins and outs of Windows 8, and tries to learn as much about it as he can.  He loves to take video of his games with his friends, and edit those videos and has created his own Minecraft youtube channel?!  Believe me, I barely know what I'm talking about.  He has a great group of friends.  He's in a rock band created by the music teacher at the elementary school.  He goes to band practice once a week.  

We have a teenager!!

Henry turned 13.

Henry commemorated his 13th birthday with an iphone of his very own!  Preferring a simpler celebration he opted for leaving school early to go to lunch with his parents (and baby siblings), then taking his best buddy Ben to Buffalo Wild Wings and Defy Gravity, followed up with a sleep over wherein hours of basketball video gams, and real basketball could be played.  At 13 Henry loves basketball, the Lakers, and almost anything Nike.  He's still an avid reader.  He's such a great kid.  We are blessed to have him as our oldest.  He is responsible and kind to all the younger kids.  He's the best babysitter ever!  He makes us feel totally fine when we leave him at home in charge.  As long as we order pizza, and have ice cream in the freezer, we can count on Henry to keep everything under control while we are away.  We are so grateful!!

So much to celebrate!

Their first year is getting away from me.  Though we are posting a ton of photos to Instagram, I am sad to see that in 2012 I only made 11 blog posts.  We're not keeping a family record anywhere else, so I shouldn't let this slide!

At six months these two are as smiley as ever (though Eleanor wasn't feeling it this morning for the camera).  Eleanor is especially smiley and will laugh readily at any of her siblings.  

Wally is a solid sitter-upper.  Eleanor is a bit more tipsy, but she is well on her way to mastering the skill.  

Wally rolls, and has already rolled off of our bed once.  Eleanor is still mostly content on her back, but she is getting very close to being able to roll from back to front.  She can easily roll from her stomach back onto her back.

They babble and squeal all day long.  They are starting to get super drooling.  Maybe teeth are in our near future?  

At six months old, they sit down in their high chairs to eat solid foods at least twice a day.  Sort of like a breakfast meal and a dinner meal.  They still nurse a few times during the day, and take a bottle or two at some point as well.  They go to bed at 7pm, and are supposed to be down for the night.  They wake up around midnight to eat, but then stay asleep again until somewhere between 5:30-6.  They are usually up for the day around 6:30, but they go back down for a nap around 9.  

They have taken their first road trip to Virginia to see their cousin LiYa get blessed.  They've stayed at their first hotel on that trip as well.  

They are super grabby at this point.  And put everything right into their mouths.  

They continue to light our all of our lives.  We are blessed to have them.  

A quick glance back...