Two Years Old!

Today, at 8:43 and 8:45am, respectively, Will and Helen turned TWO years old! I guess we are going to have to quit referring to them as "the babies."

Will (left) and Helen (right) in the nursery shortly after birth

Right up until the moment they were born, I found it hard to fathom that we were going to have FOUR kids. From the moment they were born forward, I couldn't fathom it any other way.

Without Will, we would never have known how utterly, utterly sweet a child can be. We also would have never known how a baby can cry constantly, scream when put in a car seat (also constantly, for well over a year), scream during every meal (not just refuse to eat, which he does, but scream and cry while refusing), make you worry your head off, yet STILL you love him so, so much, and those smiles - which thankfully are prevalent now - melt your heart.

Without Helen . . . well, where in the world would we be without Helen? We would never have known the spirit, spunk, and independence that our genes apparently - somewhere - contain. It is a vast understatement to say that our lives would not be the same without Helen. We would not have a daughter, yes, but more importantly we would not have that unique personality -- by far the family's strongest personality -- that fits within, yet somewhat rules, the rest of us. She tests us -- oh, she tests us -- but she brings us unimaginable joy, fun, pride, and laughter at the same time.

We also would not have known what wonderful big brothers Charlie and Joseph are. Being twins themselves, they each have always been someone's sibling. But being a big brother is different, and they truly excel at it.

And undoubtedly, we wouldn't have known, as parents, that we are capable of the energy, organizational skills, and persistence that raising four kids, three years apart in age, takes. Or that we would enjoy it so much. And are capable of having so, so much love for all of them.

In short, without Will and Helen, we would not have known what it is to be our family.

Happy 2nd birthday to Will and Helen. Or as Helen would say, "Happy Birthday You You!!"