Merry Christmas!

Greetings!

What a wonderful time of the year. Elsa and Jonas had a wonderful extended weekend celebrating Christmas. It was a great time to see so many relatives and catch up with them, as well as, have them catch up on all the things Elsa and Jonas are up to.

Elsa has begun, in earnest, to pull herself up around the house. She will reach out her hand towards an adult, as if to say, 'I could use a hand here please'. She will walk herself up and stand, unsteadily, until she topples or sits back down. Exciting progress! I don't want to jinx it too much, but she is also on a personal best pace for her eating today.

Jonas is in full ham mode. His infectious smile greets us in the morning...usually a little too early. He is standing up and is feeling rather confident about his balance. So much so that he will let go of his supports and then tumble over. After a five second cry, he is back at it.

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family. We hope you had a blessed day and have a wonderful New Year's as well.

Pictures: Santa Jonas Bjorn; (tired) Santa Elsa Joy; Twin Santas; nice hats!; Elsa in a birthday tutu--a gift from her fellow twin--great grandmother Mabel; E & J opening gifts from us--a ball popper that plays loud music and twin dolls.

Movie: Babies trying to crawl off some energy on Christmas night.

God Bless,

Elsa and Jonas and Mari and Dan

Christmas Eve

Greetings!

A quick post to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

We are continuing a tradition begun last year of having cheeseburgers with onion rings on Christmas Eve. Last year it was courtesy of the dedicated cafeteria staff at Tacoma General. This year we are looking a little bit closer to home! If anyone needs an excuse to indulge in a cheeseburger and/or onion rings please feel free to join in!

I was able to stop by the NICU and ICN this past week to drop off some well deserved cookies and dessert for the staff. While they are on lock-down status because of H1N1, several nurses came out of the units to say hi and ask to see photos of Jonas and Elsa. They were so happy to see pictures of our kids. It was a bit surreal walking down the hallway to the NICU one year later. They have pulled the carpet out and placed hardwood flooring in but otherwise it felt very familiar. It was good to visit and remember that it wasn't that long ago that we judged victories on the minute or the hour. We are blessed to have been in the good care of the staff.

Jonas constantly pulls himself up to stand and balance. He is getting a bit more daring each day. Elsa is just starting to stand up more frequently. I think she is waiting to see how this all pans out for Jonas before committing herself to the process. She is rather clever. Both kids are jabbering away, and as the video suggests, they are really getting good at "dadada".

God Bless to all and Merry Christmas!

Pictures: Jonas and Elsa wearing socks given to them last December; opening Christmas presents; riding double on the scooter--against the advice of the owner's manual; standing up. Video: Elsa chatting it up;

Dan & Mari & Elsa & Jonas

Of crawling, falling, and getting back up.

Greetings!

As if on cue, the snow came this past weekend to our home. Not on the 12th, but a day late is a-okay in our books. We have become used to things arriving earlier or later than anticipated. It was a small dusting on our deck and yard but enough to bring cheers to the house. I am not sure if Jonas and Elsa realized that snow was any different than the norm. We didn't get a chance to take them out in it. Jonas was recovering from his first cold and we didn't want to push our luck. Regardless, it was a great sight to behold and helped cap the birthday celebrations off nicely.

Last week at the NICU follow-up clinic, we were asked if Jonas and Elsa were using one syllable words yet. It is typical that this starts to occur at the eight month mark. They hadn't so of course we put that on our watch list for development. The next day Jonas began to say "da da da da da". The next day Elsa began to say, "ya ya ya da da da ya". It was like they knew.

In regards to the title, Jonas and Elsa are becoming increasingly skilled at pulling themselves up and standing. Of course, it should could as no surprise that every stand up usually results in a falling down at some point. They are very adept at giving a quick cry and then pulling themselves back up to do it again. We love the spirit!

We are enjoying Christmas Vacation and are looking forward to a really special holiday time together.

God Bless,

Mari & Dan & Elsa & Jonas

We believe in miracles...

Greetings.

One year ago, in the most unbelievable circumstances, Elsa Joy and Jonas Bjorn were born. Countless miracles, blessings, gifted doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, prayers, and supportive hugs later, our children have arrived at their first birthdays!

During our journey we read a bible verse that struck a chord with our family and our journey. It is with great joy and celebration that we share it:

Song of Solomon 2:10-12

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

Our family fell in love with this verse and celebrate and listen deeply to the voice of the turtle!

We are humbled by the gifts of Elsa and Jonas. In keeping with the tradition of the Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12th), we give thanks for our "milagros minusculos" (tiny miracles).

God Bless,

ELSA and JONAS and Mari and Dan

Another crawler...

Greetings!

The learning curve is quick with Jonas and Elsa. Last week Elsa began to consistently crawl. Jonas had been content to sit and watch. Somewhere around midweek, Jonas decided that it was time for him to crawl too! Jonas is still very happy to crawl to his favorite toy and then camp out for a while. Elsa, on the other hand, is a constant mover and shaker. She likes to test the parental defences on a regular basis. Good stuff!

We have been experimenting with all sorts of foods and snacks with the kids since introducing solids several months ago. This week we began to try some harder snacks that dissolve in their mouths. Picture a chocolate chip that is actually a freeze dried yogurt puff. They are actually quite tasty! Elsa likes to chomp down on them with her front tooth...Jonas likes to secretly squirrel them into the folds of his clothing or high-chair. Both kids can pick up the little snacks and sometimes even get them into their mouths. This is a good developmental skill.

Our family is again so thankful for and humbled by the kind emails, posts, and phone calls.

Please keep the families of the four fallen Lakewood police officers in your thoughts and prayers in the hard holiday weeks ahead. We are praying for strength and comfort for them.

God Bless,

Dan & Mari & Elsa & Jonas

I just couldn't wait...

Greetings!
We had a short mid-week post with some video evidence of Elsa the crawler. Also, we had another dietitian visit yesterday and the news is kind of the same. Elsa needs to gain more weight. She is at the bottom end of the chart but, again, she is on the chart! As we consider options, it is always nice to rejoice in the many many victories Elsa and Jonas have already accomplished.

One more for the win column...

God Bless,
Mari & Elsa & Jonas & Dan

Happy Thanksgiving!

Greetings!

Happy Thanksgiving to our friends and family! We celebrated the many things we give thanks for this weekend. It was a special time to spend with our kids!

Jonas kicked off the weekend in style by starting to crawl ever so slowly. Elsa's competitive advantage for reaching toys is fading quickly and Jonas seemed very pleased with himself.

Elsa appears to be getting a second tooth. Her cheeks have been especially red and the drool is back with a vengeance.

We took Elsa and Jonas with us as we picked out our Christmas tree. They were both asleep in minutes. We are very excited that the house is decorated with a tree and all our other decorations. Last year, we were on minimal decorations so it is great to be able to fully deck the halls this year.

God Bless,

Dan & Jonas & Elsa & Mari

And the first crawler is...

Greetings!

The past couple of weeks we've had some truly amazing emails, calls, and conversations with people about the progress of Elsa and Jonas. It has been so supportive to hear that people have been rooting our kiddos on and keeping tabs on their current adventures. Thank you!

With that in mind, it is really exciting to announce that Elsa is our first crawler. The past few weeks she has appeared to have been putting the moves together but never all at once. We finally found out what was lacking. Motivation. We placed a cup of water down on the floor for a second while we were rearranging coasters on the table. With laser-like precision, Elsa locked on to the cup and crawled like mad to get to it. She tipped it towards her mouth and took in a great big drink of sweet success. She is a crawler!

Jonas is almost there...he is really thinking about it.

We are getting ready for our first Thanksgiving. Lots to give thanks for!

God Bless,

Mari & Dan & Jonas & Elsa

That is never going to fit...

Greetings!

We joke that we, especially Mari and the kids, are shut-ins. We have to be extremely careful with exposure to illness this first year as Jonas and Elsa continue to grow and get stronger and stronger lungs. However, with lots of hand washing and other precautions, we had a chance for a couple of friends to stop by and say hello to the kids. Very fun!

Jonas and Elsa were old-pros for our doctor visits this past week. We took them in for the seasonal flu shot and were also surprised to find out that we could also get them the H1N1 shot as well. Great news! We will have to take them in for the second dosage of the H1N1 next month. The nurses have the shot system down. First shot...initial baby cry...second shot...done! Next baby please. We like a good system like that.

Jonas is sitting like a champ now. Of course, the second we remove the pillow from behind him he falls but ninety-five percent of the time he is rock solid. Elsa is much more solid sitting than she used to be, but needs a little more support. Elsa's first tooth is coming through and she is always looking for toys, pacifiers, or fingers to chew on.

We took them for a walk in the cold on Saturday and bundled them up in the winter suits in one of the pictures. We ordered these suits when they were first born and when they arrived in the mail we thought it would be long, long time until they could actually wear them. That time has arrived!

On Friday, some students and parents mentioned that there was the potential for snow over the weekend. The snow always reminds us of Elsa and Jonas's arrival so this news brought some sentimental smiles to our faces. Let it snow. Let it snow!

God Bless! (Pictures: Jonas and his girlfriend Sofia; Kate, Nathan, Jonas and Elsa having a party; Elsa and Jonas looking inquisitively; Jonas and Elsa in their West Ham 'Hammers' Soccer attire--Elsa has her favorite hammer as well (Dan's obscure soccer team that he likes to watch at 4:30 in the morning))

Mari & Elsa & Jonas & Dan

Seven months (adjusted age)!

Greetings!

Somewhere along the way this past week, we forgot to mention that we hit another milestone. November 1st was the seven month (adjusted age) milestone for Jonas and Elsa. We like to celebrate actual age and adjusted age--the more celebrations the better I say. We have been asked when do you stop counting adjusted age. Most of the doctors, nurses, dietitians, etc et al. that we see say that the adjusted age is used through the third birthday. At that point, it is not referenced as much because the catch-up weight gain and growth is no longer monitored. I think we will continue to celebrate adjusted age birthday and actual birthday well past age three...again, how can more cake be bad?

Jonas and Elsa were a lot of fun this week. As they become more mobile, it has been fun to see how quickly they can move from point a, b, c, d, back to a, back to d, and then onward to point e.

As the cold season hits we are trying to be very safe and sane. Both kids will be getting a variety of shots in the upcoming weeks to help stave off the various flu-bugs that are out there. They also will receive a "super-duper" (this is not a medical term--although it probably sounds like it...i just made it up) shot once a month that is specifically targeted for premature babies that may be more susceptible to respiratory viruses and other bugs. On the home-front, we continue to wash hands religiously, shower up after coming home from work, and take all the precautions we can.

Thanks for continuing to check out the updates on Jonas and Elsa! Pictures: Playing nice on the floor; post-walk smiles; Elsa (Ladybug), Jonas (Bat boy), and Joshua (Elephant) in a post-Halloween costume photo; three future Lutes. Videos: Jonas with his distinctive voice; and Jonas chomping on a squeaky toy.

God Bless,

Dan & Elsa & Jonas & Mari

Solving a one variable equation vs solving a two variable equation

Greetings.

Another week of doctors' appointments for Jonas and Elsa. We met with the dietitian this week for our monthly check-up on the twins' weight gain. Jonas was right on track but Elsa is a little behind where we would like to see her. She is a skinny-mini:) Over the past month, Elsa had a couple of incidents of throwing up. We initially thought this was due to the introduction of solid foods but as we talked it out with the dietitian we also realized that we had been weening her milk thickener at the same time. After letting out a Homer Simpson "Doh!", we realized that we had been playing with two variables instead of focusing on one at a time. In that past four days, she has actually had a little more success with solid foods and we are ever so hopeful that we will make some good progress in the month ahead with putting some weight on her. Elsa also has her first tooth popping up--big month for Elsa!

Both kids are having a lot of fun. It is such a joy to see them play with toys, with us, and with each other. They both love to laugh! What a great thing to see! We knew they were going to be joyful even when they were really tiny---and now it is great to see, hear, feel their joy each day! Yahoo!

We are so excited that Thanksgiving is nearly here and Christmas is right around the corner.

(Pictures: Halloween Bibs--C'mon Elsa, give us a smile:); Sumner School District Bibs!; The Crawl Club;

God Bless,

Dan & Mari & Elsa & Jonas

Halloween (photo shoot)

Greetings!

Jonas and Elsa have been great this week. Ever so closer to crawling! Elsa is nearly there...one minute she is in front of you and then the next minute she has rolled, scooted, and kind-of crawled ten feet away.

Jonas continues to be a champ with the solid foods. He will eat anything! Elsa is a little indifferent to the whole solid food thing but she had a nice little lunch today of apples and oats.

We did a photo shoot this past week with them in their Halloween costumes. We bought these costumes last year around this time. Who knew what a little trick they would play on us in early December and treat us to two early Christmas presents!:)

Enjoy the photos! (Photos: Ladybug Elsa and Batman Jonas; Husky game night; Halloween styling)

God Bless,

Mari & Jonas & Elsa & Dan

Pajamas!

Greetings!

This week we had two appointments with doctors. Elsa had a swallow study done with mixed results. She was not very into eating at the time and performed all of about 10 swallows in a half an hour. She did aspirate some on the thin liquids (breathed it into her lungs while eating) which is not so good. But, it means that we need to continue to thicken her formula just like we have been doing for the time being. The second appointment was with Elsa and the eye doctor. Elsa was getting her cataracts checked (the little white dots; one on each pupil) to make sure they were not getting larger. She can see just fine with them but the doctor does want to monitor just in case they are the small percentage (under 1%) that do get bigger. The doctor liked what he saw and he just told us to continue to watch at home and call if we were concerned. We will see him again for an annual check up with Elsa and Jonas in April. On a side note at the eye doctor's office we were able to settle a long standing question--what color are Jonas's eyes? Many family members had differing opinions about this. Answers ranged from brown to hazel to green to "Norwegian hazel" (Dan's answer). The verdict from the eye doctor's office: olive.

It is nice to be at a stage where we are talking months instead of days or hours for next check-ups.

In other news...Elsa laughs hysterically whenever either one of us says "pajamas" to her. She can't control the giggles and I actually saw tears one night as she was laughing so hard. Jonas, meanwhile, caught on that Elsa was getting a lot of attention for this. He has now started laughing whenever "pajamas" is said to Elsa with the goal of getting some attention for him. I have been assured by many coworkers that this attention seeking behavior between siblings most likely will continue and hit a high water mark in high school:).

Pictures: Elsa, Jonas, and Dan enjoying some books; E & J striking a pose in outfits that were huge three months ago and now fit just right; E & J demonstrating what happens whenever they are put on the floor near each other; Video of Elsa and Pajamas--this is just a hint at how she responds...she really really gets into it.

God Bless,

Mari & Elsa & Dan & Jonas