Twins turn TEN!!

Today was such a great day.  Today is the first time EVER that the boys understood that it was their birthday.  We had the countdown going on the calendar.  We explained to them that we were planning on a party with family and made sure to name all their cousins that were going to come.  We asked them if they wanted balloons, cake and ice cream sandwiches, to which we got a big YES for each.  As we arose this morning the first thing that Isaac showed us on his iPad was that it was "Caleb" "Isaac" "Happy Birthday"!  Caleb started running around the house signing Happy Birthday "C" and "I".  It was party time :)

 The wonderful thing about a close large family is that you really never need to invite friends to parties.  Just family who attended was about 30 people.  And Caleb and Isaac are so lucky to have two sweet girls, Sami & Rebecca, who have worked with them for several years at some summer camps they attend and have been buddies with them for the Challenger League baseball games come to their birthday party this year.

As is the case with many children with Autism, crowds are hard on them.  As is the case with many children with Autism, noise is hard on them.  Each year gets better and I am tickled with the progress these little fellas have made.  30+ people were prepped to sing the Happy Birthday song very softly and quietly.  This is the first year both boys were able to stay at the table the whole song.  Usually Caleb is so overcome with emotions he has to run away crying and ends up very hard to calm down.  Today he hid under the table and covered his ears BUT he stayed at the table!!  Isaac tried to blow out the candles and when he was unable he started swatting his hand at the candle flames so we quickly helped him blow them out.  Caleb was not interested in even trying to blow out candles this year.....again.

Caleb was really into opening presents, Isaac not so much.  Here you see Isaac taking a DVD video out of the bag.  What the camera did not catch was him throwing it across the room and giving me a look of "Leave me Alone"!

Since Isaac was not being a trooper with opening gifts Caleb got to open double!!

After gifts were all opened both boys needed some "alone time" and went their separate ways.
Caleb went to play on his iPad >

Isaac took a nap, ice cream sandwich on his face and all  >

Cleaning up after guests left a big smile crossed my face as it's also apparent that my family is truly getting to know the boys.  There are very few things they like and gift giving has been difficult.  They are not usually ones who like to play with toys.  Caleb carries his Ernie doll everywhere and does play with him daily but we have had years and years of toys gifted to them only to re-gift or give away because of no interest.  Today the gifts included several bags of Doritos (for Caleb) and several bags of pretzels (for Isaac), a couple cases of crackers for both boys and a few sensory toys that they will play with when they are in the mood.  I think we are all coming a long way!! The birthday parties for the twins may not be typical games, noise and celebration but it sure was a good time. 

TODAY IT:

*snowed for the first time this year

*was a wonderful time to gather as family to celebrate these boys

*was bittersweet to have the twins open a birthday card from their "Granny Ann" from church.  She gave us their card Tuesday evening at our Gospel Meeting at church so they could open it on their birthday.  She passed away last night after an accidental fall yesterday morning.

*was nice to see Ron and Martha Dush who were in visiting inlaws from Erie

*is wonderful to reflect on just how far we have come in 10 years and to begin imagining what the next 10 will bring us!