Summer Fun 2011

Hello all,
I am sad to report that Labor Day has come and gone and the summer is officially over.  Kevin is back to school and we are returning to our usual routine.  It was a busy July and August with lots of milestones reached, fun activities, and road trips.

Updates first --

Jack finally figured out walking in late July and hasn't stopped moving since.  I've heard climbing and running come next, though I am in no rush for these tricks to be added to his toolbox.  He's a very active boy, though I am afraid he may have inherited my coordination (or lack there of . . .).   He's learned how to blow kisses, knows where his tongue and belly button are, and likes to tell you that cows say "Booo" and dogs say "woof woof."  We've recently heard him singing Baa Baa Blacksheep either along with me or by himself.  He's still on the thin side and loves to keep us on our toes with his ever changing food likes and dislikes. 

Hope has also had a great couple of months.  We've added a third therapist to our weekly routine who is focusing on communication techniques - sign language, extra emphasis on certain words, gestures.  I really like all the members of Hope's team and have learned so much from them about both Hope and Jack.  They all are very happy with the progress Hope continues to make.  She's gotten really great at sitting and standing.  She's really interested in playing with her toys and is starting to protest when Jack steals them away from her -- a very good sign, I've been told!  She prefers to hold her own bottle of milk while drinking, but still likes it if you feed her dinner by the spoon.  Unlike Jack, she loves to eat and enjoys whatever wide variety we present her.

We made three road trips this summer with our mini-van.  First, my dad and I took the twins to Massachusetts for my family's annual reunion party.  Then we spent a week with some of Kevin's family in Ocean City, NJ.  Finally, we spent Labor Day weekend in Raleigh, NC visiting our friends Courtney and Greg and there expanding family.  Traveling with twin toddlers got easier with each trip and I now feel like a pro.

Here are a ton of pictures from our trips and a few randoms from the summer:

The first stop for breakfast on our New England trip with Granddad and the kids first outing in restaurant high chairs.  Jack and Mr. Penguin were eagerly awaiting their pancakes.  Hope was just happy I brought her frog in from the car.  Granddad did a great job keeping Jack entertained with one cheerio at a time. 
 
 Trying out the double swing on the porch at my Aunt Barbara's house on Cape Cod.

Hope and my mom's cousin Laurel enjoyed an afternoon of playing by the side of the pool.  Hope was a huge fan of splashing!

Jack had a blast at his first pool party and set the record on the number of tortilla chips he convinced his uncle Ben and Granddad to give him.  Here are a couple shots of his inaugural swimming pool dip. 

 Hope was zonked from her afternoon of splashing. 

Enjoying their breakfast with a view with Auntie Barb.



 Back home in Havertown -- Jack's latest favorite toy!  Thanks Aunt Courtney for one of the many great hand-me-down toys!  We love making cow sheep!

 Hope in Ocean City ready for the beach.  Mommy's flower!

 Hope wasn't a big fan of the waves and crowds in OC, but loved sitting on her blanket underneath an umbrella with her bucket and the ocean breezes. 

 Jack trying out a beach chair sized just right

 Hope's turn

I got a solo afternoon on the beach with my book and Kevin took the kids up to the boardwalk rides.  Here's Jack's first elephant and frog ride with his Dad. 

 Looks like Kevin is having as much fun as Jack!

 A more subdued Hope and her Grandmom.  We tried to get her to sit on the carousel horses, but she was not interested.

 Hold on tight, Jack!

A family photo on the beach -- Hope refused to cooperate for the "perfect" shot.  I think the seagulls were more exciting to her than smiling at the camera.

 Playing together with the bucket

 Jack's first taste of Mack and Manco's Pizza - not surprising that he liked it seeing as it's his mom and dad's most favorite pizza

 Jack and Mom by the water

 Our first sandcastle!

 Daddy and Jack by the water

 Jack up in the air!

 Guess who loves the beach?

 Back home after vacation, reunited with his Elmo book couch and sitting like a little gentleman.

 Hope is happy to see Granddad after her vacation at the beach.

Something about a weekend with six kids under six in one house resulted in me not taking many pictures while down in Ralegh - not one of Court, Greg, Addison, Braden, or Kevin.  Here's baby Quinn, big sister Peyton and Hope all chilling together on a lazy morning.  

 Hope and Jack loved playing with all of Addison, Braden, Payton, and Quinn's toys.  I loved the fact that it was the easiest packing trip of the summer as Courtney already had everything we needed so no gear was needed.

Quinn in his swing!  So cute --- I can barely remember Hope and Jack this small. 

 Princess Peyton

 I had a good morning at my multiples club consignment sale last weekend.  I snagged two perfectly sized chairs which Hope and Jack love!

 As well as the same animal train that Hope played with all weekend in Raleigh -- yay!

Swings, mores swings, some fish, and an Elmo couch

In looking through my pictures from the last month or so, many of them are of my kids in swings.  We are definitely enjoying the summer weather and Hope & Jack have had many adventures to the various parks near and far. 

Over July 4th weekend, we hit the Philadelphia Zoo, the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, had a BBQ at Granddad's and even found our way into a local July 4th stroller parade!  No photos were taken at the zoo or the stroller parade . . . but here are a few shots from the aquarium:

Mr. Penguin meets some of his people.

This aquarium place rocks!

Look Dad, we found Nemo!

 

The aquarium has a tunnel where you can walk through/underneath the shark tank.  It was pretty cool.  Hope was very captivated by the fish tanks.  Here she is with her dad saying hello to a few shark friends. 

We also have a new edition to our family room furniture.  Initially I asked Kevin to take it back to Babies R Us as it really does not fit with my vision for the room as a whole.  However, it was clear from the get-go that it was a huge hit with both kids and thus it stayed.  :-)

 

Here's Jack meeting Elmo, Cookie, Bert and Ernie for the first time.  

Here both kids are sharing a seat in what Kevin has coined the "reading corner."  Jack is really happy to have full access to his books and really enjoys pulling all of them off the shelves many times a day in search of the perfect one to read. 

  

 

 Hope prefers the chair folded out so she can stretch her legs.

Here's Hope with one of her newest tricks -- holding her own bottle.  Yay!

 

And snuggling with her dad . . . could there be anything more fun to do?