What a Difference a Year Makes!

Wow - last year we would have never thought our journey would have brought us here! With twins on the way, we thought it would be good to bring it back so we can share the last couple months of pregnancy and early life with Gabriel, Baby A and Baby B.

I can't promise photos like my sister who is great about updating her blog with pictures regularly, but i can definitely do some typing (thanks for that journalism degree, mom and dad!).

Let's see... since last year:

1. Gabriel got his big boy bed and loved it! He sleeps in it every night... complete with Cars, Thomas the Tank or Spiderman sheets.
2. When not working, we spent last summer at the pool and/or the zoo. Gabriel loves everything about both places. Water, animals, trains, carousels... perfect for a two year old.
3. Gabriel was dedicated at church (since we finally found one we both wanted to join). FBC Aiken is fantastic - the pastor, Dr. Andrea, even sang Happy Birthday on our answering machine for Gabriel's second birthday.
4. The fall was a hot one here in South Carolina, but we managed to enjoy pumpkin picking and trick or treating. Gabriel picked Nemo for his Halloween costume - even made his debut in the local newspaper in costume.
5. Melissa and I relived our middle school days and went to a New Kids on the Block concert in October (continue laughing... we went again this past March).
6. My sister Amy and I took dad to New York for his 75th birthday to see the New York Philharmonic (with pianist Lang Lang) at Lincoln Center. We also got to see Hairspray on Broadway and the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. Unforgettable!
7. I made my first Thanksgiving dinner for our happy, complete family of three - only to have my son sit at the table, say he wasn't hungry... and could he go lay down... he slept on the couch for several hours.
8. We took Gabriel to his first two movies (Madagascar 2 and Bolt). He had a blast.
9. December rolls around and we visited Santa several times.
10. Gabriel and I visited Auny Amy, Uncle Michael and Bryce around Christmas time - visited a very cool live nativity (complete with camels and a village with activities).
11. Santa got it right - on Christmas he left Gabriel a train table and Thomas trains under the tree.
12. Wes and I enjoyed one of our favorite Christmas Eve services ever - at our new church in Aiken... the evening ending singing Christmas hymns/carols on the front steps by candlelight. Gabriel was back at the house with family. After service, we celebrated with finger foods and family. A beautiful holiday!
13. For New Year's Eve, Wes surprised me with a night on the town in Atlanta. I surprised him with the news we were expecting a baby (yep, no part of me anticipated any more than one baby...).
14. January rolled around and the EXTREME nausea began... about the time Wes and Gabriel visited me on work trip to Reno/Tahoe. Gabriel had a blast sledding - if you want to ask Wes about the sledding "incident" and giant goose egg, I'm sure he'll share.
15. January-March for me were spent trying not to be ill and trying to keep the food down. Much time was spent lying in bed with my eyes closed while Gabriel spent more time at Mrs. Lynne's, and Wes took over almost everything at home... harder than it sounds when you can't cook anything for lunch or dinner that remotely has a smell to it... even harder when your pregnant wife thinks everything in the house smells, including the house itself.
16. During this time, Wes also took Gabriel bowling for the first time. He did well (even if they did have the bumpers out!). I was sorry to have missed it.
17. SURPRISE - it's twins! Yep, that's what we learned early this year. Immediately after we had our "a ha" moment about why there was such extreme nausea.
18. SURPRISE again - it's a boy and a girl (yes, finally a girl in the family) on the way.
19. Over the past year, we've also managed to get this house more in order: finished renovating the 1/2 bathroom downstairs (YES, IT IS DONE!!!!!!), put hardwoods in kitchen/foyer/dining room, put tile in the pantry, new counters/paint/backsplash in kitchen, turned the dining room into a playroom, replaced all of the carpet, etc.
20. Gabriel turned three this month, and he is a fantastic son (even in spite of those three-year old moments that creep up). He is potty trained (and very proud - he'll show you his big boy underwear at any given moment), is excited that "his babies" are on the way (he is going to "show them my movie"), has good friends at Mrs. Lynne's, is excited about starting school (3K) in the fall, has developed some strange fear of monkeys (from his thug friend at Mrs. Lynne's)... except for Curious George (who he loves), eats almost anything (even turned down McDonald's the other day because he wanted carrots and broccoli... raw - bad mommy who was being lazy relented and fixed the veggies), loves to help mommy and daddy, and so many more things that would take too long to write here (like enjoys riding his tricycle/bike/giant inchworm, playing/kicking ball, riding the lawnmower with daddy, going to the beach, spending time with grandparents... and on and on...)
21. We celebrated the birth of Dawson, a nephew for Wes and I and cousin for Gabriel. He is doing fantastic - born in late March.
22. Had a fantastic baby shower in Aiken thrown by my friends from work. Both my sisters and my parents were able to come over.
23. Looking forward to a lunch shower (thanks, amy and lisa) with my friends in Spartanburg in June.
24. Have almost finished getting everything ready for the twins... will be putting up the crib tomorrow.
25. And, a quick list of Gabriel's favorites: movies (Cars, Madagascar, Toy Story, Incredibles, Curious George), food (raw carrots and broccoli with dip, pizza, hot dogs/corn dogs), toys (Woody/Buzz, trains, balls, everything), books (Thomas Breaks a Promise, Are You My Mother, The Jungle, Green Eggs and Ham and many, many, many more).

Well, that's it for this marathon post. My new goal is to update at least weekly (with or without photos)... who knows... if there is any bedrest in the future, I may keep pace with Amy... or not! :)