Our twins turned eleven today. Well, according to Caroline, “not officially until 11:54 and 11:58 PM (emphasis on the PM),” but we have celebrated all day today nonetheless.
Eleven is one of those ages where you’re still kind of figuring out as a parent if your kid is big or little. Since these two are at the end of our kid age line, we have always considered every age they turn still “little.” However, as I drove home from work on this beautiful fall day, I realized that they are now older than our eldest was when we had them.
Yep. Six under ten. That was a time.
A big time.
But today, our celebration was small. With two sisters still at college, one sister at band, and all the other things going on, we kept everything simple. We had their favorite Chick-fil-A nuggets and slices of Grandma’s special gooey butter cake. We had a lot less production and a lot more presence. And even though this birthday was celebrated a bit smaller, I’m coming to find that this is what you hope for as your kids get older. You crave pockets of their time with laughter and good food, and as many people as you can get around the table.
I’m super grateful for that. Because truthfully, eleven years ago, I couldn’t have even pictured this calm amidst the chaos, and yet here we are.
So today, I celebrate my girls. Our sweet surprises, who keep us young, keep us entertained, and always keep us wondering what’s next.
We love you dearly, girls. Happy birthday.