What does it mean to have twins? Next week they will be a full year old, and I thought it might be a good time to reflect on the year.

Max, a few hours old, being held by dad.

Here is a brief look back at the last year and some of the things that have changed in our lives. While everybody tells you “life will change”, you really don’t realize the extend of that until it happens to you, no matter how often you hear it.

Andrew, a few hours old in the NICU.

Here are just some interesting facts about the last 12 months.

4,380 Diapers
5,544 Baby Wipes
17,520 ounces of milk
1,736 jars of food
31 boxes of cereal
3,110 photos taken
360 nights with not enough sleep for Mom &Dad
1,155 minutes of video (19.25 hours)
1 CAT Scan (for Andrew)
1 MRI (for Andrew)
2 Visits to the neurosurgeon (Andrew is totally fine – don’t worry)
2 twins a walkin’
5 road trips to Detroit
3 trips to the McDonald Play Area
18 trips to the shopping mall
3 different Nanny’s in less then 4 months
2 Eye doctor appointments
1 pair of mini-glasses (for Max)
3x higher healthcare cost
and 1 house so full of love that we wouldn’t change a thing.

Even on the toughest days these boys have always been a joy to have in our lives, and I can’t tell you how many days I would come home from work and just be so excited to see them (assuming I got home before they were sleeping). While life in some ways is more difficult and challenging, it is more then offset by their unconditional love and joy they bring to our little family. Not only would I do it all over again, I wouldn’t mind of they had a few siblings in the future. But I’m not the last word on that one.

Andrew

Max

Happy birthday boys. You’re the best.

Love, Dad & Mom

Download this video in QT format

In case you missed it, here is the election night speech that Barac Obama made from Chicago’s Grant Park. It gave me goose bumps and more hope for this country then I’ve had in years (let’s say, at least the last 8 years). I can’t wait to see what the future brings.

Normally the videos I post are only a few minutes long, but this is the full speech plus all of the fanfare after, so it’s just over 30 minutes long.

We may have only known him for the last 10 years, but 42 year old GE Air-conditioner (we called him Mr. Coolie) pushed out his last cold breath on Friday. Time of death is estimated at 7:39am. 

Brenda is quoted as saying “Early that morning I heard a loud scream and crashing noise from the yard. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but later when Rachel called (our Nanny) and told me the house was 125 degrees and that the boys hair kept catching fire, I knew in my gut that Mr. Coolie was gone”. 

Memorial services will be held sometime this week when Mr. Coolie’s replacement (Mr. Efficient) is brought in to take over his duties. 

Mr. Coolie, we will miss hearing your loud clanging startup sounds and unheard of high electric bills. May you be in a better place now. 

So if it wasn’t enough that you could do web browsing, email, SMS Text Messaging, watch movies and listen to music, now with the new updated software you can do about 500 new things (if you so choose to do all 500 things that is).

I have downloaded several free applications, as well as a few inexpensive paid applications that are making my phone even more useful. For example, my to-do lists and projects that I’m working on that I normally keep track of on my computer automatically sync to my phone now as changes are made. And if changes are made on my iPhone, the changes update on my computer as they are done!

I love being a nerd.

We made much better time coming home then we did going to MI. Traveling at night seems to be the key, and I think we’ll be doing a lot more of it. They normally go to bed around 7pm, which is a great time to travel. No traffic, and no delays through the many constructions zones on I-94 right now.

Here are a few photos, and  you can find more on Flickr. I should have some video posted later this week.