Summer pics from my camera

We were at a party yesterday and someone commented that we have the most photographed babies they have ever seen.  I laughed because I take soooo many more pictures that I post on this blog.  That said, the babies have been napping for an hour an a half (yeah!!) so I actually had time to upload the pictures from my camera. Here are some of my favourites from the summer so far.

Henry's Birthday party last Sunday.  

We attemped a family photo but James was asleep!

Josie loves her daddy!

For my birthday Brian signed me up for a photography course to help me learn about the features of my new camera.  I learned how to use the aperture to blur the background when taking portraits.  Not bad eh?

We have rollers

In the whirlwind that has been the last few months it's hard to pinpoint exactly when the twins first rolled over.  I can however say that yesterday I put James on the floor on his back and when I looked in on him he was on his front.  For  weeks he has been rolling 99% of the way over but getting his arm suck and rolling all the way back onto his back.  

Josie is an expert at rolling from her tummy to her back.  She doesn't like tummy time so she now just rolls herself onto her back every time we put her on her tummy.  

Both James and Josie are able to sit on their own for a few seconds.  They are also able to stand with assistance.  

Yesterday Brian gave blood.  We made it a family trip.  

Josie is still not really eating solid food.  She is so headstrong and demands to hold her own spoon and then doesn't swallow any of the food in her mouth.  I called Eat Right Ontario yesterday for advice.  They suggested we take the pressure off and just put the food on her tray and let her pick it up and eat it when she wants to.  We tried this with banana at lunch and she pretty much just mashed it around.  Dinner was the same thing.  They said to try this for a few days so we will keep trying.  

It's now a few days later and I feel the need to amend this post.  For the past 2 days Josie has been rolling from back to front a lot.  Much more than James does.  She is not going to be outdone by her big brother.

Look-a-likes

It is obvious from these pictures that the Allen genes are dominating.  This makes me happy because Brian was an adorable kid.  

Brian and Josie

James and Dave

We survived 4 days without Brian

I can't say it was easy but the twins and I survived 4 days without Brian.  He went to New Mexico for IB training.  

My survival would not have been possible without all the help we got from the babies' grand parents.  Grandma Charlotte helped me take the babies to my baby group on Wednesday and swimming on Thursday. Her and Marsha also watched the babies Thursday night so that I could go to Jenn's bridal shower. Grandma Jane helped me take James to the Dr. on Friday when he had a fever of 39.2 (he had a nasal infection but his fever broke with just one dose of Advil).  All day Friday he would only settle when being held so Grandma got lots of snuggle time.

He also wouldn't sleep on his own so we had a sleepover.

On Saturday Grandpa Dave came over at 6:30 am to help me with James and let me take a nap!  Jane and Dave also babysat all night on Saturday while I went to my cousin Julia's wedding.

Even with all the help throughout the day it was an exhausting 4 days.  I am so thrilled to have Brian home.  The babies are thrilled too.  

7 months old

On Thursday July 10th the twins turned 7 months old.  I can't believe how much they have grown in the last 7 months.  James is now a whopping 15 lbs (5th percentile) and Josie is a dainty little 12 lbs 5 oz. (0.1 percentile).  They continue to amaze us with their new skills.  They are now rolling around and reaching for everything in sight.  They are becoming more interested in eating purried food, James more than Josie.  They smile and laugh all the time.  We are so blessed.

  Of course we could not let another month go by without a photoshoot.  Here are a few highlights!

We celebrated the twins turning 7 months old with a weekend at our cottage on Lake Erie.  For Christmas Jenn and Kevin got us entry into the Beamsville 5km race.  This included watching the babies while we ran.  Our friend Kathryn, James' Godmother, did the run with us.  It was a great race (I beat Brian!) and a great weekend spent with Auntie Jenn and Uncle Kevin.  On Friday afternoon James sat up, for the first time, on his own for about 30 seconds - way to go JD!

Summer at the cottage

We spent our first week of summer holidays at the Allen Cottage on Grass Lake.  JJ got to spend a lot of time with their Allen grand parents which was great for everyone. 

On our way home from the cottage we stopped and visited my cousins and siblings at their cottages on Gull Lake.  My cousin Brenda has 6 year old twins Gavin and Gracie who were very excited to meet and play with James and Josie.  Big sister Zoey was also great with our twins.  

School is out for summer

I know that I gave not been "working" this school year but I've never before been so excited for the school year to be done.  Why?  Because it means that Brian has the next 9 weeks off to spend with Josie, James and I.  It is going to be an amazing summer!

Here is Brian teaching James how to BBQ.

They are so messy with their rice cereal that it's easiest to just feed them naked.

Look what just arrived from Australia: matching slippers!  Thanks Aunt Di.

We got a visit from Michael!

James also received a tonne of hand-me-downs from Lachlan this week.  He is now one very stylish boy.  I am also thrilled that Lachlan will soon be getting a baby sister who will get all of Josie's clothes.  This means that I have extra incentive to find cute girl clothes.