Birthday Eve

Three year's ago from right now we were in a hospital room watching a football game, and trying very hard to play it cool when in fact I'm pretty sure both of us (I know I was) were freaking out! To back this up - even Travis couldn't remember (he's currently looking it up as I write this!)... How our lives have changed since that night. Our three little miracles - how have three years passed so quickly and where are our babies?

Thinking back to January 1st, 2011 - I'm pretty sure that I've never felt so many emotions in such a short amount of time (update: Florida State vs. South Carolina in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl - FSU won). Seeing my babies for the first time was - if I'm completely honest - a relief, I had been so scared since that day we were diagnosed with Twin-Twin-Transfusion Syndrome, that seeing all three of them alive and kicking relief then gave way to pure happiness (the overwhelmed feeling didn't hit until the day they put all three in the same crib!). While I only got to touch and kiss baby A (Ryann) before they were all whisked to the NICU, the amazing nurses and doctors at Plano Presbyterian made sure I got a good look at babies B & C (Bryn and Hads) as they left the room. I don't remember too much of the rest of that day - in fact, the first year was pretty much a blur (both at the time and even more so looking back)!

Ryann Gale, 3 lbs 10 oz

Brynley Cade, 2 lbs 14 oz - she still likes to sleep with her lovey over her head!

Hadley Marie, 3 lbs

Fast forward three years - my "babies" are definitely NOT babies! Though they most certainly LOVE babies (if you have a baby - stop on over, they provide hours of entertainment for my children!). My most favorite quotes: "Frosty come inside wid us?" (Hadley, after we decided to head in - took a little convincing that he wouldn't like to be inside). "What you talkin' about?" (Hads to me at dinner tonight when I was attempting (don't ask me why) to explain how her birthday is January 1st... apparently we've never discussed months with them.. then "You silly"! "Maugs wait for me" (when Hadley is in a hurry she'll sometimes shorten Manga to Maug - maybe because we call her Hads?). "Papa Kim Papa Kim (or anyone else in the vicinity), who buy dis (holding up a bean in the soup we're eating)? who buy dis (holding up the corn in the soup)?" (Ryann, who insists on knowing who buys every item in a house), "Mama buys lots of stuff" (Ryann - yes, I know). "Stop doin' that!" (Mama Brynley who repeats EVERYTHING we say) and "WHAT?!" (in an exasperated snarky voice that makes me work on my poker face every time) or "I be right back honey" (they all add "honey" or "hon" to everything - think I overuse that word?!). I need to make better note of all their expressions - which change far too frequently.

Ryann, Brynley, & Hadley... our girls.

 Each of them is amazing in their own right - and each of them can drive me crazy in their own way... Not sure I can handle their new-found independence... if the last few months is a preview of what the age of 3 will be like, all that comes to mind is "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

Happy 2014 from our family to yours...