Happy Birthday!

To Max and Tyler on your 1st Birthday:

To say you have come a long way in your first year of life is quite an understatement. One year ago, on February 4th, 2008, you arrived via c-section at 10:44am and 10:45am. You gave us a scare 19 days earlier when we found out that Mommy was in labor and you were trying to make your grand entrance at MUCH too early of a time. Luckily you stayed put long enough to give you a very good chance at survival -- although arriving 14 weeks early made for a tough road ahead.

You were fighters from the minute you were born and your strength and determination continue to amaze us. We spent every day of your 9 1/2 weeks in the hospital talking to you and watching you grow, and not a single day went by that we didn't tell you how proud of you we were. Finding the right words to explain just how incredible your journey has been is seemingly impossible. One day, when you are old enough to understand, we will tell you all about your first year of life. About how your tiny lungs weren't ready to breathe air yet and you had to work so hard to do it on your own. And how you were pricked with more needles than we care to remember, but it helped you fight infections and receive blood and get nutrients. And how you had to wait more than 3 weeks to be cuddled by your parents because you were just too sick to be held. And how you fought so hard in the hospital that the doctors sent you home a whole month before your due date. And how you had monitors strapped to your chest and nasal cannulas with oxygen for almost 3 months after you came home from the hospital. And how you have impressed your doctors and social workers with your continued progress and development. But most importantly, we will tell you how you both have had the brightest smiles and most contagious laughs imaginable -- even after all that you've been through.

Max and Tyler, our beautiful baby boys, we would have done anything in the world to prevent you from having to go through everything you have this year. But you know what? You have touched so many lives, and you have shown us that life is precious and not to be taken for granted. As we've been saying since the day you were born, we are so proud of you and love you more than you'll ever know. Undoubtedly you will face some more challenges down the road - that is just a part of life - but if you tackle those challenges with even a tenth of the strength you have shown this year, you will get through anything.

Happy Birthday, Tyler and Max!! Thank you for bringing us more joy than we could have ever imagined.

Love always,
Mamma and Dadda

Tyler on left, Max on right with dolls that are exact replicas of their size at birth (made by Andy's mom)

More pictures from their bday "party" to come!