And the winner of the not-the-best mother of the year award - that would be me!

I'm a very bad mother. My kids had a birthday last week and I didn't even blog about it! Their birthday was on September 12th, but we had celebrated on the 9th at my house. Then I babysat for Jenni on the 12th, and was busy the other nights and never got around to writing anything. Mea Culpa.

My kids didn't actually arrive in a box, and they were much younger when I gave birth, but this was one of their favorite hangouts at the age of 18 months. One thing every parent learns early on is that the presents are often less exciting to kids than the box and paper those presents came in. Until, of course, the age of 5 or so when the actual presents counts for everything!

This picture is my little angels kissing on their second birthday. I've always loved this photo - in fact it was on our Christmas cards that year. I think this was the last time they were able to get this close to each other without fighting - but it was a wonderful sight while it lasted.

On Jenni and Joe's first birthday we had white cake with chocolate frosting (that's still the favorite for all three of us). I waited and waited to get photos of the kids with chocolate frosting all over their face. But, as usual, they wouldn't cooperate. They chose that day to eat neatly! Hadn't happened before and hasn't happened since. So I finally got tired of waiting, stuck my fingers in the frosting and wiped it on their surprised faces. My mom was a bit shocked, too. But I had to get the photo! It was a rite of passage.

As they grew up they just got cuter and cuter (okay, I admit it, I'm prejudiced...). This photo is at my sister'wedding. They were waiting outside to throw rice (which was still legal back then). It's hard to believe I put Joe in that awful suit, but there it is.

Here they are on the first day of 7th grade - Junior High! Looks like Jenni has a death grip on her brother to get him to take the picture. Joe had scratched his cornea so had to start the new year with a huge patch over his eye. He was very unhappy about this, but I told him that the girls would probably all want to take care of him and think he looked very exotic. He was the hit of his classroom.

I was very lucky because Joe and Jen have always been close and sibling rivalry was kept to a minimum. Not that it didn't occur! But it would pass fairly quickly. They became very cool teenagers most of the time. Here we have them eating happily together - Joe with his mullet and head band, Jenni with her pizza.
Now they're adults with spouses and families of their own. It's an amazing thing to have adult children. They become your friends, but they are always still your babies. The worrying about them never stops, wanting to fix everything for them never stops, and god knows the loving them never stops.

2001

2007

From finding out AFTER waking up from my C-Section that I had twins - to them playing in a box - to the mullet and braces days - to marriage and kids. The last 34 years have flown by. I still have dreams of them as little kids, running up to me with their arms open saying "Mommy". They don't do that anymore - they'd probably knock me down if they did! But when I look into their eyes, I still see my beautiful little babies.

I love you, Jenni and Joe - Happy Belated Birthday~!!!