One Year.

Remember when this blog was meted out in days or weeks? Today we run, at mind-melting speeds, through yet another milestone.

One year ago, two tiny babies came to us all vulnerable and impossibly small. I have an acorn squash on my coffee table that weighs the same as they did when they were born.

Today, I'm scrubbing cake out of their high chairs.

I cannot understand where the last year has gone. Also, I cannot understand that there was a time when these girls were not here to light up my every day.

I hope that I do not short the keyboard with weeping.

We celebrated their birthday yesterday, with the help of many of the friends and family who helped us get this far. It was a fitting tribute.

Here is part of the crowd that gathered to help us ring in this amazing day.

William and I hung various pictures of the past year's progression on the dining room wall. I may never take it down. The girls have been fascinated by it, happily being held and shown their pictures. Seriously, I might make it into wallpaper.

Of course, there was also singing and cake. Nana made two gorgeous cakes, one personalized for each birthday girl. Surprisingly, Lillian didn't know quite what to make of hers, but Naomi jumped right in. There was some fear that she was going to grab the thing and launch it from her high chair, but she chowed down. Getting a sugar high baby to nap later was an entirely different story. Yikes.

Here is my favorite moment from yesterday's party. A loving, sisterly birthday kiss. We'll temporarily ignore the fist grip Naomi has on Lillian's shirt and the fact that she may be eating her face.

They are both giving kisses now. Big, sloppy, gross baby kisses. Naomi's actually a little aggressive with her kisses and it's a bit disconcerting to have a baby trying very hard to shove her tongue into your mouth. Hopefully that's something that will resolve before, say, 7th grade.

Here is the little monster, showing off some of her newest tricks. She pulls up to her knees to play on things. She's onto the fact that our dinner is often better than theirs and the other night, walked herself right up onto William and demanded bites of his dinner

Here is Lillian, who continues to investigate things with the kind of attention to detail that one would only expect from jewelers and paleontologists.

Thanks to all of you for cheering us on for the last year. Here's to many more.