Its your birthday! Again! Is it just me, or didn't we just celebrate not that long ago? Yikes, the years are flying by and all of a sudden, you're seven years old. Wherever did my little guys go? It seems incredible to me that in seven short years you've gone from this
to this:
That's a lot of growing and changing and learning and a whole heckuvva lot of eating in a relatively short period of time, wouldn't you say?
You're still best buds, the two of you.
People sometimes ask me which twin is the "leader" or the "dominant one". Luckily for both of you, I think you swap roles fairly often. You're pretty good at listening to each other's ideas for games, fort designs, team sports, birthday party ideas...You both tend to hear the other one out and then contribute your thoughts and then you weigh the options together and come up with the solution you can agree on. Of course, it doesn't always work that way - we often hear you having heated, physical arguments about who's sitting where at the dinner table, which piece of lego belongs to which sibling, etc, but more often than not, I'm impressed with your problem solving and sense of fairness. Of course everything I've just said is void when it comes to your little sister, but I suppose that goes without saying.
Speaking of Elly....she loves you, you know that right? She's so excited to give you your presents tomorrow - she chose superhero tshirts for you and birthday cards that she's "written" in for you. She has somehow managed to keep your presents a secret for two whole weeks. I'm mightily impressed with her! But I think it all stems from her deep love of her big brothers. Have you noticed how much she's copying you guys lately? She may drive you crazy, but she's yours for life guys!
I think the two most impressive skills that you have developed in this past year is your ability to cope with change and trying new things. We went to France for a month this year to stay with Gaga and Pops and you embraced French living with gusto! Everything was exciting and wonderful to you - perhaps not the copious amounts of puking when we first arrived, but that was mostly due to jet lag, dehydration and a very windy trip to La Rouquette.
You astonished me, Owen, with your willingness to speak french to everyone. You, who had been so reluctant and stressed out in your french immersion classes this past year, stepped out of your comfort zone and shone! You spoke more french than all of us, I think, and you understood pretty much everything going on around you. You made new friends and seemed thrilled to meet all my french family. I was so proud of you.
William, I loved how fiercely attached you became to France. You informed me that you were "very sorry, mummy, but I don't think I will live with you forever after all. I think I'm going to become a French farmer and live in France." And you sobbed and sobbed and sobbed as we left Gaga to fly home. I don't think I've ever seen you so upset. "I...sob....just love France....sob....SO MUCH! We've...sob.....had SUCH a wonderful holiday!" You tried lots of french food and I think your favorite thing to eat was brie, Will. You ate so much brie and baguette I thought we'd have to roll you home!
Both of you came up to me daily to hug me around the waist and say "thank you for bringing us to France". Both of you commented on a regular basis on the beauty of the area and the charm of the villages. When we organised the trip, I'd hoped you'd have a nice time, but I never dreamed you'd fall in love with the country so quickly and so deeply. I guess what's bred in the bone...
This September you've started Grade Two and so far, so good. The drama of last year seems well and truly behind us, Owen and you are a far more confident and settled student. Your teacher was commenting to me today that she loves how you're willing to just try - far more so than any other student in the class - even if it means making a mistake. I love that about you. And Will, I can see your confidence in the classroom. You know you're surrounded by friends, you know you can do the work, so you just get 'er done and have lots of fun doing it.
Physically, the two of you have shot up this year. William, you're still about a half inch taller than Owen, but you oddly weigh the exact same amount, to the decimal point. There is not an ounce of fat on either of you, despite how much I feed you, but I think a lot of this has to do with the crazy amount of swimming you've been doing. You both bravely tried out for a swim club and made it, and now you swim twice a week for 75 mins, amazing me with your endurance and those muscly little bodies. I smile every time I see you in your swim gear - little athletes, the two of you. I'm very proud of how hard you work in the pool, despite the tiredness you must feel after long days at school. you still come out of there smiling and saying "That was awesome".
Its been a great year, Will & Owen, and I'm really looking forward to what 7 is going to bring. I've seen signs of more mature, less confrontational and argumentative kids the past few months and I think we're heading along an interesting path together. We understand each other a little better and, with lots of talking and a healthy dose of patience on everyone's parts, I think we're entering a really fun year! Here's to my beautiful blondies turning 7, and to a new and exciting year ahead!
I love you, my lambies!
