snapshots in my mind and heart

Yesterday we returned to a favorite farm for blackberry picking. While the berries were yummy and the farm activities were fun, the highlights for me were...

• Em and Roo singing the theme song from Wonder Pets while searching for berries "this is serious... this is serious... this.is.Serious."
• Em running around with a friend after lunch, holding a cookie. She tripped, slid on her belly and came to a stop with every inch of her body touching the ground. Except the hand holding the cookie. That one was held high in the air. The cookie was unscathed.
• Roo climbing onto a bench and shouting "and now... for the Amazing Em!" It was the perfect bait to get Em up on the bench.
• Roo masterminding a tap dancing routine with her sister.
• Em and Roo picking little bits of grass, creeping close to the coral and dropping it for the horses to eat.
• Em chasing butterflies.
• Listening to Roo sing in the backseat on the scenic drive home.

sister trips

Dear Em and Roo,

I bailed on you last weekend and left you with your Daddy for 4 days. Y'all had a blast.

He's still recovering.

I did a little something I've always wanted to do... a trip to NYC with my sisters.

Your aunts Becky, Joy and Kaki and I flew in from our respective parts of the country and met up in the big apple for some long overdue time together. It was pretty amazing and we packed a lot into our stay... Broadway, shopping, central park, museums, lots of eating and sight seeing, catching up and laughing.

I missed you two a lot, but y'all had birthday parties to attend and jumpy houses to conquer.

I hope that in 20 years, y'all are meeting up with each other and your cousins in fun places and doing the same sort of thing.

I hope that in 20 years your aunts and I are meeting up in a different location from you and your cousins... and still doing our thing, too.

last days

Preschool wrapped up for the summer with a bang. First, the girls celebrated their birthday with the class. I made angel food cupcakes and we served them up with whipped cream and strawberries Em and Roo picked themselves the day before.

There were birthday crowns to be worn and they got to be the line leaders all day long. However, Roo usually chose to be the caboose instead.

The next week they had Hawaiian day complete with a luau. Plus, Ms. Melissa stocked the sensory table with an ocean scene. Lots of pebbles, water, play fish, etc. Roo was thrilled!

Then, that was followed up by messy art day. A fantastic extravaganza of paint coated balls to chunk at a paper covered wall; fly swatters dipped in paint; shaving cream and Plexiglas easels; floam; and a myriad of other things. It was a preschoolers dream come true.

The final week of preschool was celebrated with pizza and a bouncy house and a whole lot of sugar love for the teachers. We made dipped cupcakes, cake balls and chocolate coated cookies for Ms. Melissa and all the specials teachers.

It sure is going to be a long summer without them. But, man, have those sweet teachers earned a rest!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was super special this year because Em and Roo understood that it was a standout day. They let me sleep in, with a lot of encouragement from J, and had brunch waiting for me when I woke up. And beautiful roses plus a sweet card filled with Em's and Roo's voices wishing me a happy mother's day.

All day long, Em randomly wished me a happy day and, honestly, she's still doing it, several weeks later. What can I say? She's getting tremendously positive feedback each time she says it. Who wouldn't want to be wished a happy mother's day every day?

We finished off the actual holiday with a fun dinner with some other twin families. The kids had a blast playing and my sweet friends did all the cooking. Perfect day!

2010 March for Babies

This year's March for Babies was another win. Because it's so close to Roo's and Em's birthday, it's a tangible reminder of how far we've come and what we're giving back to.

Each year, we ask that our friends and family make a donation to the March of Dimes in lieu of giving a birthday gift. It is such an incredible blessing to walk with our fellow NICU survivors and honor the wonderful children they are today.

It is also a poignant reminder that several of our numbers did not get to go home with their mothers, fathers, twins. And that is why we march.

Thank you thank you to all our family and friends who marched with us in body

Aunt Kak, the Bests, our NICU family

and in spirit

McGrands, Mammaw and Pappaw, Nannie, families of Laura, Kristin, Jennifer, Jackie, Vanessa, Jenny, Betty, Mitzi, Susanne, Erin, Andrea, Aunt Joy, Aunt Becky

Mork

Aunt Kak included a surprise in the girls' birthday gift. Well, it was a surprise to Aunt Kak. She thought she was picking out an inflatable purple dolphin. Instead, what we found was this.

Meet Mork.

(the shoes and pajamas are Ruby's)

He's the breakout star of the birthday gifts. Maybe because he's just the girls' size. Maybe because he's purple and has a squeaker in his neck. Who knows.

What I do know is that he scares the fire out of me at night when they've tucked him in on the couch with a blanket and pillow.

But, you can't stay mad. He's such a good sport.

And dancer.