:: two sweet three year-olds ::

This past week we celebrated the third birthday of our little girls. On each of their birthdays, as we will probably do for all to come that we will share with them, we remember the day of their birth. A surreal middle-of-the-night rush down to the hospital, checks, a helicopter flight to the nearest hospital with a neonatal unit, an IV trying to stop them coming, and an eventual emergency c-section bringing two tiny 700 gram babies out into the world far too soon. I won't be putting any photos of the girls from that time, but you can go here and here to see how we celebrated their first and second birthdays with photos and videos from that time. Eti and I were reminiscing last night before we went to sleep how amazing it is that they really show no signs of being born at 26 weeks. The only possible one being that one of Elise's vocal chords is still paralysed, but the most likely theory of the cause of this is that it was damaged during her surgery when she was only 12 days old. And it doesn't seem to affect her in any other way than giving her a soft, sweet voice. Amazing.

We will always be thankful to so many. To God who held us and protected our hearts and thoughts in those days, to an incredible neonatal team of nurses, doctors and support workers who cared so well for our girls and provided us with a welcoming second home for many months, and to hundreds if not thousands of friends and strangers around the world who prayed for our girls and encouraged us along the way.

And now Amélie Hope and Elise Grace are three! Lively, chattering, bright, kind-hearted, determined (did they get that from me or from their fight for life?!), beautiful, tender, empathetic, mischievous, creative, funny, sweet three year olds. These days they seem to learn and add more words to their vocabulary at rapid pace. Last night I sat with Amie on my knee and went through several words saying "Mummy says ____, what does Papa call it?" to see whether/how she is able to distinguish her english words from french. With almost each word she knew "how Papa says it." We often silently beckon to each other to come and watch one of them at play or busy reading stories to themselves. I love this age! All the moments of exasperation at the determination to push all buttons and test all limits cannot surpass the moments of pride, love, joy and admiration that we have as parents to our girls.

Here are alot of some photos from our past year. In no particular order, but some moments we have enjoyed and treasure in our little family, including just a few people who are very special to us...