five.

It's real. I have two five year olds. I am the mother to two five year olds. It's incredible and some days hard to believe it went so fast. Mind you not always easy. I was sitting here tonight on the eve of their birthday trying to remember how I felt five years ago... I had been in the hospital for days already and although terrified I remember just wanting them living outside my tired, aching body. I was sure it could not stretch any further and they had completely run out of room. Although not much went as I would have planned .. I remember my heart was so full as I laid eyes on my little ones. All 4lbs of them. And for the last five years we have learned how to love each other in ways that are best for us and we have grown in leaps and bounds since then.

Noah - He is independent, very gentle. He has a way with words.. he is detailed and descriptive always wanting to find the best words to describe things.. whether it's how he is feeing or the way he sees something.

He is caring... not only for people but for things that mean something to him. He is not shy and always willing to go first and try something new. He appreciates his alone time and can play well by himself. He loves cheese strings, pizza, mac & cheese and still loves water downed juice. He enjoys being active and could play outside all day long.

Ari - My sensitive double. He has highs and lows. Emotional extremes. He always needs a friend. He loves people.. especially his best mommy. He doesn't like doing much of anything by himself. If Noah is with him he is happy. He is getting better at trying new things but likes to see someone else do it first.

When he is tired he crashes and is done whatever activity he happens to be doing. He loves deep. Cares deeper. He also loves cheesestrings, mac & cheese and any all fruit. His new favorite thing is to play baseball.. not for the baseball (he could do without that) but he loves going to TimPortens for chocolate milk after. He just wants to be loved. Don't we all?

Its been amazing to watch them grow.. hard to believe in fall they will walk into Kindergarten. I am so proud of them... proud that they are who they are and proud that we have all made it this far. Stronger with hearts a little fuller than before. My hope is that they flourish as individuals and always dream big. Believing that they can do whatever they put their minds to and that they would always know that we are for them in every way. Fly high my best Ari and my best Noah. Fly high.