Our 3-year-olds

It was birthday week here at our house recently. Half of our family now have birthdays in the same week! That's going to be a lot of cake. I got Tanner and Natalie their own individual birthday cakes because I want them to feel like individuals and not a set, blah, blah, blah. Too much cake! Next year I'm doing cupcakes or smaller cakes. I didn't know they were going to be so big.
Anyways, they loved their Dora and Lightening McQueen birthday cakes and, despite the fact that we were just barely home from the hospital with Camryn, they had a great birthday. We just had my parents and my sister's family over for pizza, cake, and ice cream. So it was nice and simple. My mom picked up the cakes and balloons on the way over. I think if we'd given Tanner and Natalie nothing but balloons they would have been happy. They got plenty of other things too though.
I can't believe they are 3 already. That went so fast. More and more lately I am so grateful to have had twins. They play so well together most of the time. It's nice when I am busy with the new baby that they can keep each other entertained. Twins are hard as babies but there are definitely benefits when they get older.

Natalie has got such a fun personality. She's so spunky and determined that, even though she's been the smallest in the family (until recently), she will be heard. She's also very strong willed and only wants to do something if she thinks it's a good idea. I think that's why she was such a late walker at 20 months. She just didn't care for it and all the praise and encouragement she got from us didn't even matter. This is also proving true in potty training. But I know once she puts her mind to it she'll do great. Natalie also loves to get out of the house. It doesn't really matter to her where we go. She asked me today if we could go to Home Depot. I usually can't run an errand without taking her with me or causing a fit.

Tanner is such a sweetheart. He doesn't demand attention but he absolutely loves to be praised. If anyone is hurt or crying he is usually the first to show concern. He's surrounded by girls all day so he's learned that it's fun to get dressed up and pink is a pretty color. He's quite the fashion conosur as you can see by the outfit he wore on his birthday. Baseball hat, sunglasses, polo, plaid shorts, and winter boots. I've tried to convince him it's time to stash the winter boots but he won't listen. He's got plenty of boy in him too though. He loves to play with his cousin, Noah, and he always comes home plenty sweaty and dirty. Anyone who has ever tried to pick Tanner up knows he is a very strong and solid little boy.
This is one of my favorite ages. There are the tantrums and the potty training, but it's so much fun to see how much they learn at this age and watch them figure out how to interact with other kids. We are so grateful to have these two cuties in our family!