The Singer Family

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

We Marched for Babies!!

Most of Team Singer Twins 2010

This last weekend was the March of Dimes March for Babies event! The weather held out for us and only as we were getting ready to leave did it start to sprinkle. We had a fabulous team of almost 40 walkers and even more generous donors! To date, we've raised just about $4,800 surpassing our 2009 amount of $3,100. I'm so impressed with all our family, friends, co-workers, and just generous people, I'm beside myself. A huge thanks goes out to all of you. As I've said before I am so honored and proud that we were able to help make a difference.

The Singer & VanderMeide's (Joey is our NICU buddy!)

E&E in front of their poster

Grandpa & Grammy Bobbi

Grammy Linda & Papa

Give me Five! We're making a difference for other NICU alums like us!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Wonderful Weekend!

Wow, what a fun weekend. To kick off the fun events, we walked in the MS walk on Saturday through downtown Portland and around the East Bank Esplanade. It was perfect weather and the girls loved their 3mile walk in the stroller. They got to watch all kinds of people, animals, and it was the first time they've been down to the river and walked across the bridges. Clearly we've been depriving them of one of the best things about Portland. So much fun!!!

Emily & Ellery

"what that?" as we stroll through downtown PDX

Team "I Smell Roses"

We also had a few play dates and dinners with family and friends. It's so fun to watch the girls interact and play with other kids. Can't wait for the weather to be consistently nice so we can start doing bbq's and playing outside a bit more.

Sunday we took the girls to the Woodburn Tulip Festival and were completely amazed at the beauty of the tulip fields. I think I could look at those fields all day long. I felt like I was in a dream the entire time. We took amazing pictures and all had so much fun. The girls wouldn't smile for pictures because they were so enamored with looking and touching (and picking) the beautiful tulips. There were also pony rides, bouncy houses, train rides, and all kinds of food to eat. Ellery tried a bouncy house and Emily only made it in for two seconds and came right back out. The elephant ears were a hit however.

Ellery & Emily not touching the flowers. Maybe I should have said they should touch them. Reverse psychology??

Emily

The Fam

yum elephant ears

Friday, April 16, 2010

Hair, High Chairs, and Special Days

I've been on a massive post move in purge session of any and all items in the house. We have so much stuff it's so ridiculous. I thought prior to moving when we unloaded 20 extra large contractor garbage bags at Goodwill that we had made progress. Apparently not, because I just dropped off another 10 and still feel like my house is a cluttered mess. Maybe my life as a hoarder/pack rat/I'm so going to need this one day is taking a turn. I did get used to a nice uncluttered "show ready" house while it was on the market for an entire year. I'm wishing we could become minimalists but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to get rid of THAT much. I just don't want to come home every day to a jam packed with stuff, furniture, toys, and junk type of home. Wish me luck!

Welcome back old buddies!

The girls have reclaimed their favorite NICU gifts once again. Emily can't be found without her two Micky Mouses and now her angel bear. It's still crazy to me that I once thought these beanie babies were so big compared to my kids. As I was writing this I was thinking about how I am still emotional when I think about our time in the NICU and the unknowns surrounding everything in our life at that time, when I realized that today two years ago was the day our girls were released from the NICU and came home for the first time. I think about our experience on a daily basis....actually every single time I look at my sweet babies....but today just seemed a little different. Now I know why.

Emily & her angel bear

Emily & Angel Bear 2/25/08

Ellery & her pink bear

Ellery & bear 2/25/08

Crazy Hair!!
The girls hair is starting to be a little unruly. We just had a trim and came out of the place with nice flat normal looking hair. I swear people must think I don't brush E&E's hair, but honestly the minute we walk out of the house it does it's own thing.

Ellery has lots of curls, but as soon as she lays down it's just a fly away mess. She does have the most adorable ringlet that forms in the front. So cute!!!

Ready, Set, Go!

Emily & her cheese smile and her mop of hair.

High Chairs

Emily - What do you mean we're getting rid of our high chairs??

Ellery - How could you do this to us?

Oh wait....it is so we can make room for more toys....yahoo!!!!!!

Ellery Sept 2008 - can you believe the difference???

The girls haven't used their big high chairs in almost 8 months. Other than the fact that they were supportive back when the girls couldn't sit on their own, they've always just been super bulky, hard to clean, and kind of a pain. In the future (probably no future) I wouldn't use a highchair like this again. SO....since they have been living with us rent free I decided it was time to get rid of them. We brought them in the house today and of course the girls were super excited and ended up sitting in them for over an hour. They ate, read books, and chit chatted....all the things they used to never do in the chairs. I told them we were getting rid of them and giving them to another set of babies to use and both girls burst into tears and said "my high chairs".

March for Babies

Our March of Dimes - March for Babies is just a week away from tomorrow. We blew out our original fundraising goal of $3500 and are still going at it. We also have a team of 20 walkers joining us. I'm honored by the outpouring of support of our friends and family. The donations and those willing to walk with us....leaves me without words (oh, but not tears!!). Prematurity hit painfully close to our family and some of our friends, I'm just glad that we can make a minuscule difference in raising awareness so that hopefully we can find answers, cures, and ultimately give each baby the life they deserve.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

What An "Eggs"elent Week!

Last week was a busy one. First we went to Auntie Tayva's to make Matzoh balls for the soup being served at Passover. The girls did pretty well for their first time. Yes, they actually handled and rolled a few. They were then easily distracted by cousin Ziva's toys...but that may be a good thing. However, I do have to say the soup was amazing! Maybe these girls have a future in culinary arts??

Then we had two passover dinners. Both nights were a blast. Love those family dinners!!

Later in the week Emily & Ellery and their best girl friend Avery got together to color Easter eggs. They did pretty well again for their first time, but they were more into coloring themselves and trying to crack the egg shells. Oh well, we'll work on our technique for next year.