A Whole Seven Months

The last month has flown by so quickly!

We started the babies on some solid foods this month, just as they'd turned six months old. They've tried sweet potatoes, apples, bananas, potatoes, lemon, pickles, carrots, cucumber and nectarines so far. Mashed potatoes seem to be their favorite, with nectarines being a close second for Hayden and lemons being second for Claire.

Toward the end of July, we drove to my parents place for the weekend, to celebrate my dad's birthday and had a great time in front of the fire, playing on the lawn and visiting. The babies learned to sit on their own this month! While they can't yet sit up on their own from a laying position, they can sit without help. So I'm counting it.

Then we were off to Banff to see even more family, take in the tourist sights and have a mini vacation, staying in Dead Man's Flats for a few days. We did some tourist shopping while there, took the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain, (babies' first gondola ride), went on a boat tour of Lake Minnewanka (babies' first boat ride), went to Lake Louise rode another gondola and saw the lake there.

We returned to Calgary and went to the zoo, which was another babies' first. I'm not sure they saw a lot of animals but they were intrigued by the fish tanks and the penguin exhibit. We also spent a day shopping at Cross Iron and swam in the hotel pool where our sister-in-law and nephew stayed. On July 27th we noticed a tooth appear in the bottom of Claire's mouth. On the 28th there was a second tooth surfacing and by July 29th both suddenly popped out the same day! She barely complained at all.

We also sold both of our quads in July. I was sad to see them go, but the practicality of owning quads with having babies just isn't there. Our quads got good homes. End of July we also traded in our toy hauler camping trailer for a more family friendly trailer.

The August long weekend we spent camping at Starland in the Alberta Bad Lands with friends and family. Our last trip with our toy hauler trailer before trading it in. I'll miss the trailer mostly because of the me memories, like telling Phil that we were expecting (though at that time we had no idea we were expecting more than we assumed!) I hope our trailer will also find a good home.

Our plans for the weekend this weekend, as our babies turn seven months old, are to celebrate my Mom's (aka Grandma's) 60th birthday! I made a good attempt at making her a tiered, fondant, chocolate/red velvet cake for the occasion. I think she likes it and we will get to taste it tomorrow.

Also we noticed yesterday, August 9th, that Hayden had two bottom teeth pushing through. He was extra fussy, and for good reason. Today the toofs are poking through and nearly there. Perhaps tomorrow he will find some relief, poor guy.

Next week, more camping. This time in Banff area, with friends from Regina, four days of camping and in our spiffy new trailer. Then a 5k run on the weekend. At night. In the dark. In Glenmore Park. Phil may be running it alone though, as I feel it's too late for the babies to be out, plus they don't allow strollers on this run.

Summers alway seem so very busy, and they fly by so quickly. We try to stop everyday and admire our babies. I just love that our cubs are such good babies. I know they'll be walking and talking before we know it. I read a really sweet sentiment this month. It said something like:

"The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep."

Claire & Hayden - Seven Months! Taken August 11th, 2012

Six Month Milestone

We have been travelling all over the country this summer and it's been busy. Hence this late post.

So here's what we've been up to. We had spent a good portion of May in Manitoba. Then a few weeks at home, in June, where we all picked up the flu someplace. (The babies' first colds.) They didn't complain much and were such troopers with all of the medicines, thermometers and nose wiping. Poor little guys were all stuffed up and feverish but we made it through just in time for our flight to Ottawa, along with some antibiotics and probiotics to counter the antibiotic effects.

The babies' first flight! They were clearly born to fly, as they slept most of the way. (Now if I could just convince that husband of mine to go on a family tropical beach vacation..)

We were in the capital for two and a half weeks to visit family and to attend a wedding. It was nice to spend more time with family. We saw some Canada Day fireworks from our hotel. Not the Parliament Hill fireworks, but they were nice enough. We will have to return someday when our kids are older to see those fireworks.

While we were away the babies became really good at rolling over, they learned to hold their own bottles as well.

We arrived back home just as our babies turned six months old.

Hayden & Claire Six Months! Taken July 11, 2012