Send In The Clowns

It's official!  I am done bragging about what good sleepers our little babies are.  Without fail, whenever I do, especially to other (over-tired) moms, that night at least one of them pops up like Binky the Clown screaming, "HEEEY GROWN-UPS, I'M CRANKY AND I'M GOING TO RUIN YOUR NIGHT!"*.

Yesterday afternoon I made the mistake of bragging to someone how both my babies sleep through the night ALL THE TIME.  Today I am a tired liar.  When we got home from a friends' house last night, Jack was still up at 10:30PM, not upset, but still awake calmly hanging out with my brother and his girlfriend, so we put him to bed a few minutes later.  At 2:20AM he popped up and was inconsolable for well over an hour while he pulled at his teeth, refused to take a teething ring, spit his baby Advil in my face and would only doze if I would rock him constantly in our living room rocking chair while rubbing his back in a counter clockwise motion.  It was not a good night, especially after a hectic weekend.

Chris and I had spent the past 5 days preparing for and then recovering  from the minions first birthday party.  The family party on Saturday was a huge success despite the rain.  I didn't realise how much of an effort it was trying to clean and prepare food for an event while looking after 2 dangerously mobile babies.  I felt like Japan in a Godzilla movie (but tasked with making a lot of finger sandwiches).  Every time we tried to clean and rebuild a room or prepare food, Mothra (AKA Mollythra) and Megaguirus (AKA MegaJackirus) would Battle Royale and mess our sh$t up.  Jack managed to answer the question, "How much watermelon is too much watermelon to give to a baby?" in the middle of operation get house ready.** He also showed off his new found ability to climb stairs and scare the crap out of mom and dad as well as punch the glass doors on our legal book case.  Molly pulled her, "I'm going to cry or fight my brother unless you carry me everywhere" routine which made one-handed house work a little slow.

 Fairy Tale Castle Cake - The second cake I ever decorated!

 Birthday sign made out of old, damaged, good-will and dollar store fairy tale book cover cut outs.

On Saturday night, after almost everyone had gone home and Molly and Jack had retired to bed (where they thankfully slept through the night), Chris and I cracked open a beer each and celebrated our first year as parents and a successful party.***  Sunday morning I cracked the Advil for my party related back pain and midnight leg cramps from all of the cleaning/standing.  Tonight we're going out for our 7 year wedding anniversary.  Perhaps we can substitute dinner with a good long nap while our sitter L looks after the kids.

Table runner made from inside of above-mentioned books.

Chris's Whale Carving Fruit Salad

Thank you to everyone who helped make this weekend such a success!  Only 362 more days until their 2nd birthdays....but getting things ready with 2 year old toddlers will be much easier, cause at that age kids are known for having an extremely agreeable nature, right?

Fighting over the best gifts, tissue paper?

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*If you were never a Garfield fan you probably won't get this reference. Binky was this incredibly loud and annoying clown on Garfield known for the catch phrase, "Heeeeeey Kids!".  In the television show you could call a 900 number and Binky would show up to your house and sing a birthday song to you to the tune of "Freres Jacques".
**You really don't want the gory details of how he showed us, but let's just say what Jack did to Chris's Blue Jays jersey was symbolic of their playing lately.
 ***And the fact that we don't have to do it again for an entire year.

Celebrate

A year ago today I was terrified waiting to go into surgery.  Chris's sole job before the minions were born was to try to keep me calm and to have some good conversation prepared for surgery while we awaited the arrival of Molly & Jack.

My 4PM surgery was delayed because of an overcautious anaesthesiologist who didn't like that my blood pressure rose in anticipation of receiving my epidural.  My blood test results came back normal within half an hour, the only problem was 3 other women came in, in labour, and bumped me out of my spot.  We waited in this room, I was attached to an IV with a gurney that I had to drag with me everywhere, starving, and listening to 3 other babies born while we watched old episodes of Jackass and Beavis and Butthead on the overhead television. When MTV's best wasn't entertaining us we tried and failed at getting my engagement ring removed from my swollen fingers.*

At 7pm we finally went into surgery and once I was properly frozen Chris joined me with his engaging conversation.  He'd spent the past two days researching interesting and amazing things that happened on August 10th.

Did you know that on August 10th in:

1990 - U.S's Magellan spacecraft landed on Venus.
1984 - Michael Jackson bought ATV Music (every Beatles song) and essentially ruined his friendship with Paul Mccartney.
1966 - Daylight meteor seen only from Canada to Utah.  Only known case of a meteor entering and leaving the earth's atmosphere.
1833 - Chicago incorporated as a "village" of 200 people.
1500 - Diego Diaz discovered Madagascar.

And then, August 10th, 2011 - 7:21 & 7:22PM - Molly & Jack were born and none of that mattered any more (to Chris and I anyway).

I can't believe that you are 1 today.  We are so happy and blessed to have two healthy, vibrant and character filled babies.

Miss Molly, you are clever, spunky, funny and have the lungs of an opera singer.**  Your great grandmother has aptly coined you "The Growing Concern".  You are a people watcher with a contagious smile.  We survived colic together, so we can tackle anything.

 Molly - August 10th, 2011

Mr. Jack, you are sweet, kind and curious.  Sometimes you'll stroke your sister's hair when she's upset, other times (when you think she's over-reacting we assume) you'll squeal in delight in her face.  You have a calming energy about you that makes everyone feel at ease.

Chris (Dad) and Jack - August 10th - 2011

I have no other words than, Wow!  I never would have believed that I'd enjoy being a parent until it actually happened.  Molly & Jack, Happy Birthday - we love you both so much!  Chris, Happy Anniversary to parenthood! It's been a trip!

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*And this never made my version of Hell.  Maybe it will make my version of limbo.
**Your dad has his fingers crossed.