2 yrs. Old

The big 2 yr. olds with their Gigi

Abby at her birthday dinner

Rory entertaining the family at her birthday dinner

Abby and Rory playing with their twin dolls from Aunt Ingrid and Uncle Jackson

Rory posing for the camera

Sweet Sister Hugs

Abby's pudding face

The girls sleeping together in the "big girl" bed

Rory's pudding face

Playing dress-up

(Look at that look on Abby's face... LOL)

Abby showing off her Barbie Dream Pony

Rory showing off her Barbie Dream Pony

Abby likes opening presents

Abby opening her birthday presents

Rory reading her birthday cards with Mommy

Ready for Presents

"We like cake!!"

Jennifer, Jacob and Jonathan Merriss

Rory blowing out her candle

"Where's the cake?"

Abby blowing out her candle

"We're ready for cake!!"

The Official Birthday Banner

Dora and Diego wish Abby and Rory a Happy 2nd Birthday

Rory's Dora the Explorer cake

Abby's Dora the Explorer cake

The girls turned 2 yrs. old this past Friday. I can't believe how fast these two years have flown by. It all seems like a blur at times. We had a big Dora the Explorer birthday party last Saturday for Rory and Abby with our friends and family. It was so much fun!! After finding out that a lot of the bakeries in town us egg whites in their filling, my mom and I decided we could make a decorate the girls' birthday cakes (Abby is allergic to eggs). The cakes actually turned out pretty good!! The girls were so excited to have a party and get to open presents!! They remembered Christmas and were ready for round-two. :) I think that they had a wonderful birthday party!!

We took the girls to see their pediatrician for their two year check-up this past Monday. Both girls got a pretty good clean bill of health. Rory is now 26 lbs. and is 34 in. tall. No surprise, the doctor was amazed at how much she is talking and carrying on full conversations. Her doctor told me that she has 5 yr. olds that she sees that can't speak as clearly and carry on complete conversations as well as Rory does. She's a chatterbox. Overall, she said that Rory is way above the developmental curve for someone her age. She walks, talks, sings, counts and can sing a good deal of her alphabet. She also gives and takes (when she wants to) directions with startling accuracy. Abby also received a pretty good report. She is now 21 lbs. 12.8 oz. and is 33 in. tall. The doctor is still not happy with her weight, but said that we will continue to search for treatments to help her put on the pounds. We will continue to monitor her weight every two weeks until the doctor is comfortable with her progress. As far as developmentally, Abby is apparently ahead of the curve, as well. She doesn't speak as much as Rory, but she is clear and concise when she does speak. Abby has always been a little on the shy side, so she doesn't feel the need to express herself quite as vocally as her sister. She, like Rory, can walk, talk, run, climb, sing, count and say part of her alphabet. The doctor said that there is absolutely nothing wrong with Abby developmentally, either and that she is also a very smart little girl!! Her pediatrician said that Abby speaks and expresses herself more like a 3-4 yr. old than a 2 yr. old. Both girls love to dance and sing. They are constantly making up new songs and wanting to dance. It's too adorable!! They love to color and play dress-up. They will change into several different outfits (and sometimes just a pull-up) and accessorize with their beads (from our friend, Nikki, in Louisiana), purses, hats, etc and put on a show for their Daddy and I. I think maybe Mommy has watched a little too much "America's Next Top Model" around them. LOL. They received "big girl" beds for their 2nd birthday from Mommy and Daddy. We were a little anxious about moving them from their cribs to twin size beds, but it was time. Rory had started tight-rope walking along the top railing of her crib. It scared me to death!! I was so worried that she was going to hurt herself, so Michael and I decided that it was time. So far, the girls have done absolutely amazing in their new bed. They do sleep together, but that doesn't bother me at all. They don't try to get out of bed even when they wake up before I go into their room in the morning. They will just sit patiently and play with one another until I go in to their room. Today, they took their first solo nap in their bed. It took them about 5 minutes to fall asleep and they took a good two hour nap!! I don't know if it will last, but we are enjoying how well they are making the transition.

There are so many new things happening in the lives of our precious angels. They grow and learn every single day. Michael and I are enjoying being parents more and more every day. We can't even express how blessed we feel to have two beautiful, vibrant and intelligent little girls!! We look forward to what God has in store for our family over the next year!!