One week ago (it's been birthday party central around here!) it was Peter and Angela's birthday -- they turned the big THREE. THREE! How the heck can they be three already?!

Maybe part of my astonishment is due to the fact that there are large sections of their early childhood that I cannot remember anything about. I have huge blank sections of memory, I'm guessing from a combination of my post-partum depression and sheer exhaustion. (Go check the archives if you want to read the adventures of a family with preemie twins born 10 weeks early, with a one-year-old at home. I don't!) Luckily, nowadays things are much happier and slightly less exhausting, so I will share a few favorite snippets:

Peter LOVES Schoolhouse Rock. He insists that in Science Rock they are singing about a "Kermit" of electricity and even after we explained that it's a current, he will sing it extra-loud when we get to that part, and then give a belly-laugh that sounds like it's coming from an old man. He has thankfully switched from "No can!" as his catch-phrase to "I think not!" We also will hear, "Angewa! Yeave me ayone!" at all hours of the day or night. But if she's not around, he asks and asks until she comes into the room.

Angela can't leave him - or anyone else - alone. Anything Petey does, it must be good, and she wants to be doing it too. When the lights are off and it's bedtime, we hear her leading the singing over the baby monitor -- "Never Smile at a Crocodile" and selections from "Big Big World." She recently got glasses and we didn't think it was possible for one little girl to get more glamorous, but she totally is (and she knows it, too.) Angela's latest thing is to say "I love you!" to everyone around the table, in the car, wherever we are, and today, she added "I love myself!" I ran over and hugged her and said, "YES, Angela. Don't ever forget that." Life lessons, from a three-year-old.

So here's to my muffins, my big surprise, my daily dose of hugs. I love you more every day, and I pray you stay just as sweet as ever... and please God, keep taking naps, and just get up yourself when you need to pee at night and let Mama sleep, okay?