Happy 5th Birthday Howard and Caroline

 Happy 5th Birthday to my wonderful, energetic, creative, caring, and challenging twins, Howard and Caroline.

It is one of the greatest pleasure of my life to be mother to two wonderful twin children -- a brother and sister who are so incredibly individual and have such different strengths and interests, but have such a unique relationship and bond to one another beyond that of just brother and sister, but that of twin brother and twin sister.

It is also my very unique and distinct joy that you are my only twins.  While you are two of my easiest children as five-year-olds, the twin pregnancy and first few years were challenges the likes of which I had never known before.

You are my two wonderful twin children and I take such joy in being your mother.

Howard, you have spent this year growing stronger both physically and in what you've learned.  You have learned to ride a two-wheeler, you love the BMX track by our house, you love to ride your scooter, you love to do flips on the trampoline, you have learned archery, and you love rigging up "cranes" in our backyard using ropes tied to buckets and draped over tree branches or your swing set.  You really seem to be quite a physicist and engineer in your play.

You have also spent this year building like crazy -- Lincoln logs, legos, Magnatiles, and more, you love to build.

You play rough and you are fast and wild.  When you focus, you are very diligent and meticulous in your work.  You like writing letters, and baking in the kitchen because Caroline likes writing letters and baking in the kitchen, and you will not be left out of anything Caroline is enjoying.

Caroline, you are our sweet Caroline, and this year you have started to tell people that you are the sweetest -- that you were born the sweetest.  I am glad that you self-identify with your sweetness and pray that you retain that quality for the rest of your life.  You usually are a peacemaker in our family.  You are a calming influence on your siblings, and when you are not at home, your absence is deeply felt and the dynamics change drastically.

This year you have loved horseback-riding, archery, learning to ride your two-wheeler, and you have learned that you can beat your siblings in running races if you get a head start and begin running before you claim it to be a race.  You love to help Addallee and Hunter and have such an important role as their big sister.

You grow tougher and braver every day because you want to do what Howard does... but you remain cautious.  After he gives it a try, you are quick to show that you can do it too -- especially activities like riding you bike on the BMX track, catching fish, and shooting arrows.  You love baking and cooking and writing letters to friends.