Holden Village 2011

Greetings!

Elsa and Jonas visited Holden Village this past week. They had a blast up in the mountains near Lake Chelan. We were a little nervous about taking Jonas and Elsa on a four hour car ride, two hour boat ride, and one hour bus ride to get to Holden Village but they were champs!

They ran all over the village and had countless fun adventures. Both kept yelling, "outside" whenever we were in our room.

Highlights...

Jonas: He saw a big yellow dump truck up close and personal. He got to ride bikes. He played at Narnia (the school and playground at Holden). He ate ice cream. He saw butterflies. He chased chipmunks. He saw deer for the first time. He saw several school buses. He threw a frisbee. He saw a waterfall! He introduced himself as Apple Jo Jo Bjorne.

Elsa: Sang lots of songs! Saw butterflies. Ran up and down stairs. Saw deer. Chased chipmunks. She painted a rock. She loved ice cream. She saw lots of birds. She read many books at the library. She took a nap on daddy's shoulder on a hike. She saw a waterfall! She waved at everyone. She gave herself the nickname of Strawberry Elsa.

Good times! We are rested yet tired after this wonderful trip.

Pictures: Hiking to Ten Mile Falls; Walking the main street of Holden Village; Lady of the Lake Boat; Sitting on the boat; The yellow dump truck; view from our lodge porch; yellow school bus; hiking. Videos

God Bless,

Mari & Dan & Strawberry Elsa & Apple Jo-jo.

Graduation from NICU followup

Greetings!

Jonas and Elsa had their final NICU follow-up appointment this week. The program monitors NICU graduates to see how they are doing developmentally and to align other resources as needed. Jonas and Elsa have had several of these four hour appointments over the past two years checking to see if they are doing what a typical babies/child does at each milestone. The past several visits there have been areas where Elsa and Jonas have been at their adjusted age milestone but not their actual age milestone. We think this motivated Jonas and Elsa and they worked their tails off as a result.

This time, Elsa and Jonas rocked each assessment and came out right where they needed to be. We were a little nervous about the threading a shoelace through a hole in a block test because this had been tricky in the past. This time, Elsa was first up and she picked up the thread and quicker than a flash had it through the first two blocks. Jonas followed suit and did a fabulous job.

Another area of assessment was speech. One of the bare minimums was for them to both know at least 50 words. This was a non-issue. They say about 50 words before breakfast in the morning! Overall, they did great on this test too! We are so proud of their hard work and effort!

Elsa and Jonas have graduated from the Nicu follow-up. The sun is almost out. The rain is almost past. The flowers are here. The birds are singing! Summer is here!

Pictures: The new "playground" in the backyard; Daddy's alligator (calculator).

God Bless,

Mari & Elsa & Jonas & Dan

Happy Father's Day!

Greetings!

Elsa and Jonas sang Happy Father's Day today to Dan and it was magical! They are truly fans of music and singing! Today at church, they were fascinated with a piano and drum set that were used during worship. While we love the passion for music...we are a little leery of a drum kit in the house:) :).

We have another NICU follow-up this week and having been working with Elsa and Jonas on all sorts of skills that they will be tested on. Whatever the outcome is, we know they will give it their all! Overall, we are so thrilled with how much they are learning to do!

Mari will also be speaking at a funding meeting for the NICU. Our NICU is trying to get funding for more beds and they have asked former patients and families to testify for the need and the benefit. We are honored that they thought of us to speak!

Jonas is now trying to wrestle the keyboard away.

Pictures: Elsa and Annika, The Fort!, Playhouse!, Captain Bjorne, Father's Day!

God Bless,

Dan & Mari & Elsa & Jonas

Buy stock in Klennex

Greetings!

We are a bit under the weather this weekend.

The upset stomachs, runny noses, and coughs did not stop us from discovering ant hills in our backyard. Jonas was over the moon to discover so many bugs! He wanted a stick, just like Dad's, to get an ant to climb up it. Elsa rolled down our small hill several times....usually leaving a slime trail from her nose! We played as best we could and then we rested!

God Bless,

Dan & Mari & Elsa & Jonas

Play Ball!

Greetings!

Elsa and Jonas went to their first baseball game this weekend. We had a great time at the Mariners! It was a scorching hot day and the perfect spot to be was at Safeco Field taking in the hometown team. Elsa and Jonas had fun watching all the activity and enjoyed a picnic lunch of chocolate strawberries, pizza, and fish and chips courtesy of the Safe. Everyone was ready for a nap after all this activity and eating!

The rest of the weekend was dedicated to resting and recharging our batteries!

God Bless,

Mari & Dan & Elsa & Jonas

Smile & Sing!

Greetings!

The birthday fortnight has come to a close for Dan and Grandpa Paul but the singing continues! Elsa and Jonas called up Dan at work and sang a rousing rendition of "Happy Danivus" this past week but it didn't stop there. Elsa and Jonas have now moved on to the "ABC" song. Sometimes they like to join in around H I J and other times they start it up and make it about halfway through and call it good. Elsa has a whole set list of songs that she can break out at any moment. Perhaps her best performance was a couple of nights ago as she lay in bed...eyes half closed...she suddenly opens her eyes and belts out the verse of "Fruit Salad" by the wiggles. They both rock!

There is a picture of Jonas and Elsa riding on the back of Dan. Jonas and Elsa will both climb on his back and hold on tight. Then one of them will announce, "Fall down now" and will roll off the side and take the other twin with them. Both will land in a heap of laughs and tackle hugs. It is great to see and we love that Twin A and Twin B like to play together.

Every minute, even the 1:00am cryfest, is awesome!

Picture: Grandpa Harold and smiling; celebrating Grandpa Paul's birthday; cousins!; birthday fellows; a horse named Dan; smiling; banana phone. Videos: happy danivus; herding cats for a photo.

God Bless,

Mari & Dan & Elsa & Jonas

Outside outside outside!

Greetings!

A whole week of glorious sun and two twins constantly clamoring to go "outside..outside...outside!!" It doesn't get any better! Elsa and Jonas had a wonderful week of play and learning. They both are such talkers now and they are like sponges for new words. Dan has been working with them both to say "Flying Chickens in the Barnyard" and "Odin's Beard!" whenever possible. (Our kids have some character:) :).

We have a big follow-up developmental appointment in several weeks and we are so proud at how far Elsa and Jonas have come and how far we know they will keep going.

In keeping with an old Norse tradition, our family is celebrating the ten days of Danivus (Dan's birthday). Jonas and Elsa have been seen walking around the house yelling "Happy Danivus" and singing "Happy Danivus to you...".

God Bless,

Mari & Dan & Elsa & Jonas