Teddy and Gwen turned one today. In the afternoon we had a small celebration in the backyard with a few friends and neighbors. The babies each got their own cupcake, the same kind that Everett got for his first birthday, but this time with sugar and real icing. Teddy wasn’t too interested, while Gwen dove in.

Later that evening the babies discovered the piano and decided to start playing it for the first time.

Their first birthday was a chance for us to reflect. Melissa and Chris were high-fiving each other for making it through the past year with two happy and healthy babies. Chris recently had a conversation with an older colleague who has twins (now adults). They agreed that having twins is fantastic but exhausting.

Through the past year Everett has taken a lot of big changes in stride. He seems to take delight in the babies, even though we all acknowledge that he gets less attention from us because of them. And they think he is hilarious. Now they are starting to roughhouse a bit with him, which we sense he has been looking forward to for quite a while.

Melissa has successfully nursed both babies for a year, and they were fed almost exclusively this way for the first six months. Great work Momma! The reverse psychology that Melissa received from Froedtert seems to have worked (they said she couldn’t do it!)

Photos from the birthday party are here.

On the eve of July 4th we went to the Rowbottom’s house to celebrate Colleen’s graduation from high school. And we got one of the few pictures we have of Molly with the children.

On July 4th Chris got up a little early today to ride with the Spokesmen at 7am. Afterward, he and Everett rode the Bakfiets to North Ave to watch some of the parade while Momma and the twins stayed home.

We had a house showing around 11:30 in the morning, so we packed a picnic lunch and went to the zoo for a couple hours. We took the babies on their first train ride, and then all of us went on the carousel.

Since we are soon leaving Milwaukee, we also bought one of those photos that the zoo has been trying to sell us for the last few years.

While the babies took their afternoon nap we did a few house projects and played in the backyard. Around 4:30 we loaded the bikes and rode to Hart Park for the 4th of July festivities.

Afterward we returned home and put the babies to bed before having dinner in the backyard.

During dinner we talked about having babies, and Everett said he wanted more of them. We asked him how many more he would like to have and he said three: another set of twins plus one more.
“Well, we certainly have room…,” Melissa said, referring to our new house.
“in your belly.” continued Everett. Chris and Melissa were laughing too hard to speak. Funny kid! Though in this case we aren’t sure if he meant to be funny.

After dinner we played in the Marx’s yard until we watched the fireworks from the field behind our house. Tonight was the first night that we noticed mosquitos in large numbers, and also the first night we saw fireflies.

Everett talked nonstop while we were watching the fireworks, so much so that at one point Melissa shook her head in amazement. And as Chris watched quietly, Everett asked “Dada, why aren’t you talking? It’s fireworks!” Everett told us that this was the best July 4th of his whole life.