Bloggers Oath

OK, so my good friend Erica totally busted me. We had lunch recently and she asked me why there was nothing new on our blog recently. I am sure that after I sighed heavily, I answered her along the lines of how little time I have been finding to add new updates. She totally called my bluff. She quickly pointed out that she was very sure that I was making this blog thing into more than it needs to be. She was sure I was feeling the need to make a slide show, organize all the pictures, be funny, and have tons of You Tube videos for people to look at.

So, I will now take the bloggers oath: I do solemnly swear that I will do my best not to ignore my blog. My blog does not have to be an over the top chronicle of my family's life and history.

With my newly pledged dedication, I will add info much more regularly. Please bookmark us, visit often, and leave us comments.

Long overdue update.....

I can't believe it has been 2 and 1/2 months since I posted anything new here! The girls are growing like weeds. They are ten months old, Hannah has two teeth and Elliot is crawling. Time flies. Lately I get these sentimental moments when something funny happens about how I will remember everything about their infancy. I am sure every parent goes through this. They are little for such a short time and it is so darn cool. I will always enjoy raising them and will probably always feel that I can't remember enough, but this time of their lives seems so special. As they outgrow things and I pack them away it already seems like the earliest months are fading from my memory. How small they were and felt to pick up, how I could scoop them both up and sit in the rocking chair with them all afternoon, even all the awful months of pumping morning, noon, and night to have enough breast milk to feed them seems like a distant dream now. It doesn't seem like it has been all in the same year.

Anyhoo, Spring has finally arrived in Seattle. We had record temps this past weekend and enjoyed plenty of time outside. However, hot sticky babies are not something I'm looking forward too all summer. Luckily our neighborhood park has one of those large community wading pools - very popular with the kiddies. I think we will be regulars.

Let's see, what else is new. I resigned my job for the coming school year. I am enjoying being home with the girls and childcare for two infants wouldn't leave much of my salary left over - not enough to justify someone else getting to enjoy them anyway. Greg is doing well, though wishing he had more time to exercise. He is set on the Portland marathon in October.

The scrapbook pages below are the most recent pictures from April. I haven't taken any May pictures off the camera yet. I have also put quite a few new videos on Youtube. I have sort of become a freak about getting video - I think this goes along with my panic about forgetting stuff. Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Favorite Pictures in Sunny Places

Make a Smilebox postcard

Slideshow Review

Make a Smilebox photobook

February Update

The girls are getting closer to sitting on their own. They do pretty well on their own sitting in Boppy pillows for a little help with balance.

7 months down now! February went fast. The girls are continuing to like trying new foods. They love teething biscuits, I think because they can eat them all by themselves. The highlights this month were a reunion brunch with several of our preemie friends from the NICU where we were born, Grandma Robinson came for a nice visit, and we took our first family vacation. We flew with the girls down to southern California for the annual company trip. My sister (auntie Sarah) flew down and met us to nanny at night and to help me when Greg had work stuff during the day. We enjoyed some sun, mom had a day at the spa, and dad got to play a fun round of golf. Eventhough we had a ball everyone came home tired. February also brought a few nice days here in Seattle this month, so the girls and I spent a great deal of time at our neighborhood park. Hannah and Elliot love to swing - it always makes a tough afternoon better.

January in Review

Elliot (left) and Hannah (right)

January proved to be a turning point in the parenting of infant twins for us. The girls started sleeping better and life has begun to hit a comfortable rhythm. We turned 6 months old this month and have begun eating solid foods. This does not cease to entertain me as the girls' reactions to food, both good and bad, are hilarious. It is fascinating to watch them learn knew things and the social interactions that occur between all of us at meal times are priceless.

Happy New Year

Well, I hope that everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday season. Ours was nice and relaxing - Greg was home for 10 days which allowed us a great deal of memorable family time. We are glad to be back into our regular routine and charging into 2008. Believe it or not this photo is one of only two that we have as a whole family. This was the four of us on December 29th at my mom's in Vancouver, WA just outside of Portland, OR.

I got our blog site mostly updated before the holidays but failed to send a quick greeting and include the link to everyone. It is amazing how little time there is for the little things. So now, I will send this out as a new year salute to all our family and friends with a little reflection back on the past year.

The highs and lows of our year included my pregnancy and all its drama - I could use those 8 weeks of bed rest now! The birth of the girls was a huge highlight. The daily trips to the hospital for the first six weeks seem so long ago now, it is hard to believe it was all in the same year.

Another big accomplishment for Greg was the completion of a 1/2 Ironman triathlon in July. He worked really hard for it and achieved an amazing goal with its completion. He crossed the finish line with a week to spare before Hannah and Elliot made their appearance which was truly perfect timing. I think we are headed for a full Ironman in his future.

I have been away from work since May, when the doctor diagnosed my pre-term labor. My official leave is arranged for until the new school year in September. Whether or not I will continue to work while the girls are tots is a question we will answer as the new year progresses. Right now, we are enjoying our new roles as parents. The learning curve is steep but is also what keeps me from losing my sleep deprived mind!

2007 brought cancer to our family and in 2008 we are hoping that cancer will leave our family. Please send your prayers towards my dad - he is winning the battle but every little wish helps. Fortunately for him baldness has taken 10 years off him and he doesn't have a lumpy head. Greg will be running a half-marathon in honor of Paul in the new year, please check back to this page soon if you are interested in helping Greg raise money for lymphoma treatment.

We have set no resolutions this year because every choice we make is now full of intention towards setting the best example in the way we live, work, play, and love in front of our kids. There is no resolution more powerful than their little eyes that watch everything you do. Though maybe it is more accurate to say that every single day you make hundreds of mini resolutions.

We wish you all nothing but bliss and prosperity in 2008.