Holy Cow...They're 1!

Somehow the blur of the past year paused for a moment last month for us to bake a cupcake, change a diaper and reflect on the monumental date that this June 3...Colten & Sienna's birthday.

It was just over one year ago that, after 25h of labor, Jen gave birth to the final members of our party of five... (cut to Barb Streisand "Memories" in background) ... and our lives would never be the same. As you can see from these pics, the twins were fairly fired up to partake in a birthday celebration with blue frosting and paper coated books that they could frantically rip apart. In a true testament to the modern age of Internet communications, they were able to blow out their candles in front of the computer with Gramma Cile watching from her PC in Indiana. The next best thing to being there.

Jen not only made cupcakes, but also planned a big Twins Birthday party with 20 of our best friends, a keg, Indian catering, a jumpy castle and several big pictures of the twins -- they were too worn out from the cupcakes. It's amazing that we survived the first year so well. It's amazing that my wife is so patient, intelligent, caring and fun.

Ballerina

After a half year of weekly lessons, too many gingerbread from the cafe next to the dance studio and an inexplicably expensive recyclable Thumbelina outfit, Savanna was at last ready to perform in her first official dance recital.

This was certainly a milestone that gives a father pause at the speed at which his daughter is growing up. The sight of Savanna in full make up was startling. She was gorgeous, but too grown up. Surely this wasn't supposed to happen until she was 10, right? Next thing you know some dodgy kid will be pulling up in his BigWheel asking to take her for a drive around the block.


She did great in her recital though and had a lot of fun. Typically she has not been very keen to participate in structured activities, however, she was always very excited by the ballet classes. She flitted and floated and bounced around stage with the other little Thumbelinas.

It was good to see that ballet recitals are truly universal events. Be they in Singapore or Jeffersonville, Indiana. Be they tap, ballet or modern groove. The event organizers do their best to organize the day such that your kid (with only one act) needs to stay the entire time, with the added benefit of exorbitantly priced snacks and media packages offered generously at the break. This event also posed a teen dance squad that delivered half a dozen of the most risque, lambada like routines I've ever seen. I mean this stuff would have been banned on MTV, but there were legions of happy parents subsidizing this youthful artistic expression. I know...I know...I sound like the Dad in Footloose, "can't believe young people nowadays"

Dad's ok with Thumbelina, but isn't ready for Savanna to be part of the Red Hot F1 Dancers yet.

Bedroom Mayhem

Sometimes the simplest activities are the best fun. Savanna's Princess bed is a constant source of kiddie energy, destruction, headlocks and laughter.



Colten is showing signs that he's almost ready for touch-footie. He romps around bumping into walls and bounces up from any falls from the bed. He's got the gumption to keep truckin' and is not easily from any target he sets his sights on. Savanna is slowly understanding that he will soon be bigger than her and that she needs to hold off on the hair pulling lest he remember...

Sienna loves her Mommy and has fun as part of the bedroom pile-on, but only up to a point. She's got the sensitive genes of the family and will often end up upset after getting steamrolled by the Colt. Hardly surprising.