One of the Earliest Pictures from Stanford Hospital A Year Ago
Exactly one year ago at this moment, my wife and I were at the Stanford University hospital in Palo Alto. She was in labor, and the two of us were eagerly awaiting the arrival of our twin boy and girl. We didn't know what they looked like. We didn't even know what we were to name them, and we didn't really know how much our lives would change. We didn't have a crystal ball into their budding personalities, and we never imagined how much fun we would have once they joined our family.
On June 20th of 2008, Matthew David Gray and Sarah Elizabeth Gray joined our family. We share with you some of the highlights in pictures. Even for those of you who follow us closely on other networks, some of these photos are new - having never been posted to the Web. Scroll down just to watch the kids grow before your eyes. You can catch more on Matthew and Sarah by following our Smugmug account or The Gray Effect.
Thank you for being part of our extended family and community.
My Tweet that night, alerting the world we were on our way.
(Discussed on Friendfeed)
Matthew and Sarah debuted on June 20th, but were quite small. Sarah stayed at the hospital another week, as she worked hard to grow.
Once we got the twins home, it was remarkable how small they were.
By August, they grew used to being part of our family.
In September, many evenings were spent with me, as my wife attended her masters' program.
By October, though still small, the kids' facial expressions became very clear.
By November, the two were playing along with our Schwag Magnets routine, sporting Web 2.0 logos which previously couldn't fit at all.
December saw Matthew and Sarah grow more curious about the world around them.
The two spend practically every waking (and sleeping) moment together.
As the twins grow, they present quite an armful.
One thing we never expected was how happy and upbeat Matthew and Sarah both are. The times they cry or get frustrated are far outweighed by their smiles and shouts of glee.
The two tag along with my wife to CostCo.
Sarah exults at a friend's party. (Photo by Rachel Fox)
Matching clothes are too tempting for the boy/girl twin set.
As the twins grow, they get more inventive about boundaries.
The pair relax together on Robert Scoble's recliner.
Flying down to San Diego for a cousin's wedding, the two prepare in the airport.
Anybody who has ever been a parent knows the perfect bond that can exist with children. That we were so blessed to get two amazing children at once is something that is indescribable. We are ecstatic every day, even during tough times. But there aren't that many, and we are looking forward to year number two!