Happy Birthday, Twins! December 14th

Each child added to our family has been a wonderful blessing. In 1999, we were doubly blessed with the unique gift of twins.



Here are some of the most oft asked questions:
Did we know we were having twins before they were born? Yes, but not until I was about 17 weeks along. They were discovered during a regular prenatal appointment that Paul did NOT go to. It was fun coming up with a way to tell him on the way home. Boy, was he surprised!!

Were they early? Only a week.

Who is older? Brady. His name comes first alphabetically. That's how we decided which got Brady and which got Brock. Their birth certificates have them born one minute apart! Paul says it must've been a long minute because it seemed longer than that at the time. I was alternately too miserable and too relieved it was over to care!

How much did they weigh? Brady was 7 pounds 14 ounces. Brock was 7 pounds 9 ounces. Brady has always been a tad bigger, even to this day.

Are they identical? As far as we all know. We declined a test that would confirm it for certain.

Did we ever confuse them when they were babies? One of them was an orangey color, the other was a purplely color when they were tiny babies, LOL, so it was fairly easy. It was sort of confusing at times when the color wore off, but one of them does have some birth marks the other doesn't have.

Do you ever confuse them now? Once in a while I will think I'm talking to one when it's really the other. They know it, too. They'll sit quietly by, ignoring my commands and then adamantly declare they're not the one I was talking to!

Do they ever try to trick people? Yes. Sometimes with more success than others.



















Cousins! (L-R) Brady, Zachary, Colum, Brock

Brady

We decided to give Brady his own post.....

Brock

.....and Brock his own....


Ok, confession time here, some of the family thinks this picture is of Brock. Some of us thinks it's of Brady!

Winter Days

Last night we ventured out into the snowy night to have our annual banquet for our/Paul's parent's bed bracket business. We usually pick a buffet style restaurant.

Paul and I and the 6 youngest were ready to go before the 5 oldest children, so we got to the restaurant and were seated and eating by the time the others arrived. (Paul had to milk the cows afterward and we were afraid it was going to get way too late if we'd waited).

The waitress was very impressed with our tableful of 6 little boys, she doted on them quite a lot. I'd heard her ask Garth if he were the oldest, to which he must've said yes.

It was hilarious to see 5 teens walk in and take their place with us at the table. I heard that same waitress asking the oldest ones if they're really ALL siblings???? Later a couple of them heard the waitresses in the back talking about the movie "Cheaper by the Dozen". While I don't think our family is movie material, we do have some rollicking good times and we're feeling quite blessed these days!

Afterward, we brought the youngest 6 home to do chores and Blake took the others to a "concert" of young violinists we know at a local church.

It's been cold and snowy here. The girls and I pretty much cleaned up the house. Paul and the twins left to get posts somewhere for the barn addition. Logan and Garth are here trying to get done all the things on the list dad left them. Blake has been tending to his various craigslist and ebay sales of automotive parts (of which there seems to be no shortage!)

Garth even got some school done even with it being Saturday. He's just taking off with his reading, which is a tremendous relief to his mother.
~Colleen