I very vividly remember my 18th birthday. I woke up in the middle of Wyoming, on our way home from treck. I had not bathed in, not sure how long, the only family near was my Aunt Shawn who did have a card from my parents. All of the other people I was around I had been with for about a week now camping and was pretty well over them all. I'm pretty sure we got home later in that day. That doesn't seem very long ago, but now, today our babies turned 18. They however woke up in their nice warm comfy beds.
It's cliché to say, but the time went too fast. I also really remember this day. I was SO over being pregnant and not being able to feel my stomach. A little nervous, but mostly excited to meet the boys. After being told for 9 months that twins were high risk and there would be complications, they came out huge and healthy. Cam did have to have a little oxygen and Beck did have to be vacuumed out, but that's nothing compared to what we were told would happen.
I could not believe that a few hours before, these two were in my belly, no wonder it was so huge.
Now they are getting ready to leave for college and new life experiences. I don't know how a parent ever prepares for that. We have never been parents who are sad when milestones happen. I loved they learned to walk and talk and go to school and drive and make new friends. I love seeing them learn and grow, but all this time it's been where I can make sure they are safe and protected. Now they are going to learn and grow so much more, but I can't constantly protect them. I just have to hope all we taught them has been enough and they are as ready as they can be for 'real life'. No one is ever fully ready though.
I may be partial to them but I think they have turned out well so far. And I know they will grow and do great things in the years to come.
We made them a favorites basket for their birthday. It has all their favorite candy, drinks, places to eat and of course some money too. I think they enjoyed it and it was something a little different.
It took much less time to empty the 50 eggs vs the time it took me to fill them, but that's always how it goes.
Camden is living the dream right now. He got into his dream school, going for the degree he has wanted to for years, in the honors program, has an amazing girlfriend and is about done with having to hear his mom complain about him turning in assignments in school. At a young age Cam has loved knowing things, to the point he was a 'little know it all' and got annoying with it. But that drive to know it all has helped him in school and will keep helping him. Even in early elementary, we would ask him and Beck to figure out math problems for us and they both would get it. I think Beck started to just not answer as much because Cam liked to be first. Cam put me in my place when he was 7 and we told them to think of a goal they wanted to do. He said he has one but mom won't let me do it. I know I've told this before, but that's how his love for Piano started. I know if he keeps that up, it will help him with school, a great stress reliever. Camden has seemed to really love being a twin. Maybe not with the perks that most identical twins get, but always having that friend there. It was hard the last time we lived with my parents before moving to Boise, but thankfully they still have that close friendship and I hope always will. They have more in common than they know right now. There are not enough hours in the day for Camden to do all he wants to do. He makes huge lists of things to do or make or watch or read or learn or art to do and a good chunk doesn't always get done, but someday I think he'll finish that list (maybe if he doesn't keep adding more and more to it). Cam's love language is gift giving. He loves to get people things and it's even better when it's something he knows has background meaning. We get annoyed at times because it seems he's spending all his money on his siblings when he could on other things, but it's one thing that makes him happy. He has had to learn to budge more with doing that, but it's always at the top of his list. I've loved watching Cam develop his style. Its a long way from sweats all day every day. And finally doing his hair is a major step up. It will be fun to see how it changes and grows in college. Camden has shown his medical skills while taking and passing the EMT program at school. When Jacks hurt his foot at the big bounce house, he knew what to ask and loot for and how to help it out. It's just the beginning of the talent he has to help kids in need. He has a long road ahead of him, but once there, he is going to do great things. Cam used to be hard because he would whine a lot, not over anything big just a lot of little things. He has spans of seeming really sad and we weren't sure why, and really it's what lead to the best things we've started, Special Nights. Now Cam is a very happy person. Everyone has their days, but he has a good attitude when it comes to life, which he will need to keep up in the healthcare field. The first time I asked the boys these questions they were nine years old. At that time Camden's favorite food was pizza, game was Mortal Kombat 10 and subject was math. Now his favorite food is Brad's homemade burger, subject is EMT, and game/activity is hanging out with Cailey.
I have loved having Beckham home the last 8 months. I wasn't sure on him graduating early and missing out on those last days of school, but he is more like me than he may like to admit. It is so nice to come down on a break or at lunch and to see him and say hi and talk a little bit. He has been a personal door-dasher as well, but he does get the reward of a free meal. I love hearing him play the guitar, even though were only hearing a little bit of the actually song he's playing. I love to guess which one he is playing. It's been so impressive that he is fully self taught. We did offer to get him lessons, but he said he was good, and he really was. I understand music and Piano, but I do not get guitar music and tuning. Beckham has always been our dependable one. Not that the others aren't, but at younger ages, he was allowed to do more things just because he always acted older and more mature, probably why he was over going to a high school when he was. We maybe put too much pressure on him to grow up, I hope we didn't, but it has been interesting to watch him grow these last few years. I feel he has a big desire to make it on his own. I think being a twin and having someone there all of the time made him want to be more independent. A strong showing of this was him going to Germany with the school alone. He didn't have a close friend going, but just wanted to go still. I was a little worried for him, but he had the best time. Beck is a little like me in the fact he doesn't like to get into trouble. He always followed the rule (well, followed them as far as I could see/or would let him know I could see) Going to one of the hardest cities to live, Los Angeles, and making it in a hard industry, film, but I know he can do it. He is so creative and has lots of good ideas. He has a binder full of ideas he come up with since... well, I'm not sure how long ago. He has talked about the entertainment industry since 6th grade doing his first play, The Miracle Worker. Doing a few plays made him realized he likes behind the scenes better though. Watching him do research for places to live, jobs to get, schools to attend has been a journey. No one is fully ready when they move out, but LA is one way to go right into the belly of the beast when it comes to living. Now I just have to make sure he lets me know a few times a week he is alive and well, then we will be good. Beck has a soft spot for his family. He may try to act tough and like he doesn't but I know he does. The last year, he and Jacks have done more and more things together. I know Jackson loves it. All Jackson is waiting for now is a high five from Beck. I will miss Beck being close and up for almost any concert. I guess I'll have to go to LA and see concerts there with him. At nine years old Beck's favorite food was pizza, game/toy was Jurassic Park Builders which I guess was a toy from Toys-r-us he got, and subject was Science. Now his favorite food is steak and Lobster, game is Chess, and subject was getting out of school.
When you turn 18, it's fun to be able to do some things that beforehand were off limits, like getting lotto tickets. Beck did not win anything and Cam was up $5.
This night we had a band concert for Jackson and then a movie for the boys birthday, with all of that, we totally forgot about cake. They both said they didn't care, but I feel bad. Beck ate his the next day. I 'sang' to him via text. Cam we had after dinner the next night.
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