Three.

Lately I am reminded everywhere I go that my boys are not so small any more: Seeing them tower over the "little kids" at daycare, noticing their once way-too-long jeans that now look like flood water pants, and the fact that I haven't changed a single diaper since February. They started talking in full sentences just after they turned 2 and have not stopped since. This includes the recent double-whammy of both of them both asking "why?" over and over again at the same time, in response to any answer we give. We don't get stared at and chased down by strangers at Target anymore when they realize that yes, that is not only 1 baby but 2 babies in my shopping cart and the constant questioning: are they twins? Now, we fit in like regular folks going about our shopping.

Yesterday, I held a baby at the boys' birthday party and I had to ask, how old is he? I was thinking maybe 4 months? 10 months? Actually, I had no clue. Those baby days seem like forever ago. The Gerber Puffs, the spit up and burp rags. They are hazy, sleep-deprived days that I am thankful that I had the wherewithal to snap a few photos of, otherwise I might not believe anyone if they said my boys were ever once that size.

A couple weeks ago, Dan had a work event that went late, so I was home with the boys by myself. We had just finished up eating dinner when the boys wanted to play out in the backyard. I was about to join them, when I said, "I'll be right there, boys, I just need to finish washing the dishes." And Owen looks at me and says, "No I don't need you, Mommy."

Gulp.

I had never heard those words come from their mouths before. I don't need you. Part of me was like, yes, you do need me. The dishes can wait, I will come out there right now. But then of course I didn't do that, and so instead I just stood in my kitchen window and stared at them playing nicely out in the backyard, while the tears streamed down my face.

In this past year we have said the words "big boys" more times than I can count. We have big boy beds now. We have big boy underwear. Big boy cups. Big boy plates and spoons. Big boy chairs. They even use big boys swings now, too. When they do something for the first time we say, "you are such a big boy!" When we try to get them to do something they don't want to do (like go to bed), we say, "please do it like a big boy," and sometimes that does the trick. They look forward to the days when they are "a big boy" that they can do the things they can only dream of now (like taking pizza out of the oven, driving a car, or cutting fruit with a knife, to name a few).

But every once in awhile, usually at bed time, as we round up their key-keys and pacis, I am reminded that they will always be my sweet little babies. On most nights, I still usually hear the words, "hold Mommy hand" (from Aaron when he wants to hold my hand as he falls asleep in his bed), and "I want Mommy lay by me" (from Owen who is the best little snuggler around).

So, babies, big boys, little boys...whatever you would like to call them; Happy Birthday to the two most precious miracles that every happened to me! I am so happy to call them mine.

Here is their 3rd birthday video with highlights from the last year: