And Then They Were One



Today is the boys’ first birthday.  Well, it’s 12:31 am now, so technically it was yesterday.

Their party was Saturday.  We ended up with about 30 people in attendance and I hope everyone had a nice time.  It was at a local park, and we had rented the pavilion.  We set up a food table, and a table with mementos of both boys’ first year.  I create a scrapbook for each of them, had a journal for each of them so guests could write messages to them, pictures of their ultrasounds, footprints from when they were born, the little booties my mom knitted that they wore in the NICU, hospital bracelets, hats, etc.

We had gorgeous weather, so the kids spent most of the time playing outside and the adults went back and forth between inside and out.  We had appetizers and conversation, then we sang happy birthday, laughes as the boys smashed their cakes and then had pizza and dessert.

It was great to be able to have so many of the friends who helped us along the way, as we’ve had so much support from before Ace and Nate were even conceived through now.  We couldn’t have made it this far without all of the doctors, nurses, friends and family who helped us.  We are truly blessed to have had so much love and support in this journey.

Today was more low-key…  just some hanging out at the house, LONG afternoon naps for the birthday boys, and then the weekend family shopping (groceries, etc.).

I thought for sure I would cry, but I didn’t.  We did sit down Friday night and watch the videos from when the boys were in the NICU, and I made note of the times as they passed today — at 7pm, I had that sharp contraction that set everything in motion; at 7:15 pm I was in the ambulance on my way to St. Joseph’s Hospital; at 8:30 pm we found out the boys were on their way; at 9:33 pm and 9:34 pm, the boys were delivered — Ace not breathing and Nate with a cry.  And so began the most insane night of our lives, and the beginning of the most incredible journey we’ve embarked upon thus far.

They are no longer my tiny, vunerable preemies — they are my amazing, charming little boys.  Ace is walking a lot now, and Nate cracks me up with his inquisitiveness — he makes this “HM?” noise anytime he wants to ask me about something.  They are funny and rambunctious, and are just delightful.  Any time someone stops us in public to comment how we “have our hands full,” I can’t help but think that for as full as our hands my be, our hearts are twice as full.  Having twins is amazing and so much fun and I am so fortunate to be able to experience it.

Babyhood is quickly becoming a memory and we continue moving forward in our journey.  And now, finally, I am crying.  These boys will likely be our last children — barring some divine intervention that not only allows for the time and energy for intercourse, but the ability to conceive as well!

As miserable as my pregnancies seem to be with hyperemesis, I will always miss it.  I love how my body looks when I am pregnant, I love feeling the little one(s) move and kick, I love the experience of birth when it’s not an emergency situation.  Holding my newborns, nursing them, and just marveling at how they each came to be and that they are each a unique combination of Skip and I is something that I may never experience again.  It’s all so bittersweet.

Seeing as it’s almost 1 am now, I better wrap this up.  I’ll try to post pictures at http://www.cronck.com tomorrow so you can see how they attacked their little cakes.  :)

9 Replies to “And Then They Were One”

  1. Happy (belated) 1st Birthday to Ace and Nate!!! It is hard to believe that a year has passes already… I am so unbelievably happy for you Sommer (and Skip and Big Sister Calista too)! You and your family continue to be in my thoughts and prayers and I am so glad that you got your “just one more or perhaps two!” :) :)

  2. Happy Birthday Nate & Ace! Boy that time has certainly flown! And congratulations Sommer – you made it!! Glad you are able to find the immense joy within the madness.

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