The Windy City

Last week I went to Chicago for work for a few days and then Carolyn and Anna Ruth flew up and we stayed the weekend.  So much fun.  We ate, drank, walked, and shopped.  Great short getaway.  It was so hard to decide where to eat.

After the huge Chicago Christmas parade (which we had no idea about when we booked the trip)

don't ask

celebrating our trip

can't get it open

so this guy had to do it

Pizza Pot Pie at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder

Frontera Grill

Quartino

Yolk

I forgot to get a picture of the food at Cafe Ba-ba-Reeba which was amazing.

First Birthday

I've been meaning to blog about the girls' birthday but I think I am in denial that they are actually a year old.  That is just crazy.  I've been in total sappy parent mode and now I understand what people mean when they tell you time flies.  I think the most common statement out of my mouth the last month was "this time last year".  It does not seem like a year ago that I was in the hospital so huge and waiting for their arrival and praying that we could make it to 34 weeks.  Last year we were visiting the NICU every day and celebrating every ounce gained and every cc they took by mouth instead of feeding tube.  Now they are 18 lbs (Anna), 20 lbs (Brooks), and 22 lbs (Irene) and drinking real milk by themselves.  We were scared to death a year ago over the news of Anna's brain hemorrhage and now have watched her grow into an extremely feisty and active 1 year old.  Their personalities are all so unique and wonderful and we are amazed with every single thing they do.  I'm going to stop now because I could go on and on and on and on and on and on and on.  And on.

Here are a few birthday pictures from the party.  It was great fun with family and friends.

Sweet Irene

Feisty Anna

Wild child Brooks

Irene and Fran (Irene just wanted Fran's drink the whole time)

birthday girls

sugar high

with cousins Fran, Lyndy, and Kat

With Grump and Meme

family pic

post party with Honey, Aunt Melanie, and cousins Kathleen and Sarah Beth

They've enjoyed playing with all their new toys.

cell phone is always the favorite toy

Brooks loves to tackle