Ella and Zoë: Winter Fun Part Seven

We live in Minnesota.

Winter in Minnesota can get cold.

Really cold.

And really long.

And there are days where it's just too cold to play outside safely.

So on one of those days we brought some of the snow INSIDE . . . .

. . . then Zoe and Ella rolled the snow into three balls

and stacked them up . . .

. . . and made their own SnowBabies!!!

*Ella with her SnowBaby*

*Zoe with her SnowBaby*

The Beginning of the Adventure . . .

After trying and waiting for a long time, June 26th 2006 was the estimated due date of Baby A and Baby B. We were thrilled. But a little over 10 weeks early our doctor decided it was time for us to meet the babies. On Wednesday, April 19th at 6:49 pm, Ella Marie was born. We named her after Tom’s mom, Della Marie, and her name means 'Light'. She weighed 2 pounds 14 ounces, was 16 inches long and was perfect. At 6:51 pm, Zoë Dianne was born. We named her after my mom, Dianne, and her name means ‘Life’. She weighed 3 pounds 5 ounces, was also 16 inches long and was perfect too.

Both girls stayed in the NICU for almost 2 months and did really well, especially considering all of the 'what could have/should have beens'. It was a 'one step forward two steps backwards' type of dance those first few weeks, but after 47 days we brought Zoe home and 10 days later brought Ella home. FINALLY, we were all four under the same roof, and were ready to start the next exciting chapter in our lives . . .

Ella and Zoe turned FIVE this April and are THRIVING. They are fun, funny, naughty and sweet. The joy they bring to our lives is immeasurable. They are also really fun to take pictures of : )