The big trip south

Bank holiday weekend and, like half the country, we headed for the coast. A barbecue at Belinda's house on Saturday, to celebrate Tommy's 17th birthday, a trip to the pub and a walk in country on Sunday, then the full family get-together on Monday and my Mum and Dad's house. The bubbas slept well all weekend and enjoyed the attention. They're moaning quite a lot these days, but there were plenty of hands around to entertain them and take their minds off their rumbling stomachs.

Enjoying a new toy from Grandad.


Sleeping off the excitement.


I don't know what you're doing to my bum, but stop it now...


How did something as beautiful as this come from something as ugly as that???


Sleeping it off with Humpty and Badger.


Grandma and Sophie.


Laughing at Auntie Bee's face.


Some people should not be allowed to reproduce.


And some should.

Three months old today!

Happy quarter birthday Baby Babers!

A little learning and a little play

Both Matthew and Sophie enjoy looking at books for newborns - lots of black and white shapes, patterns and faces. Here's Matthew with Grandma and that book with the rabbit in it.


And they are taking more notice of their toys too. Here's Sophie about to take a shot at the dangly sunflower thing.


Today was also the day of their second round of injections. This time, they took some blood too as part of the clinical trial. Much moaning in the marsh ensued, but they had very little reaction to the jabs this time round.

Two weddings and no funerals

This was a big weekend for the bubbas. A wedding on Saturday and a wedding with reception on Sunday. Their first big outing. Our hands were too full manhandling the little monkeys to cope with a camera as well, but we've scavenged a couple of snaps. Chris managed to sing at both weddings - I somehow juggled both babies and two bottles during the first wedding but, more sensibly, shared them with Chris at the second and joined in the singing. Lots of fun and both bubbas coped very well, especially Matthew who appeared to love all the activity going on around him. Sophie was a little grouchy on the morning of the second wedding, but was fine once we were there. We left around 9pm - way past their bedtime - but slept very well once we got home.

Social babies have we.

Big bubbas!

Matthew weighed in at 13lb and Sophie at 11lb today. Big bubbas indeed!

Watching football - position 1

The many faces of Matthew

Old rubber face giving himself a workout...

A chip off the old block

Matthew's reading age is rising rapidly now. He's really a model student, sitting quietly, waiting for me to catch up before turning the page. He's off to Oxford next year to read astrophysics.




I wish they'd bring their cradle down from the trees. When the wind blows, the cradle rocks and down comes Matthew, Sophie and all...


Of course, Sophie doesn't need to go to Oxford. She's going to make her fortune with her face.

Like mother like daughter...

Nothing like a baby to put a smile on a mother's and a grandmother's face...

Beauty or the beast?

Babies sleep. It's what they do. Along with cry, poop, demand milk and throw up (or gobbit, as we call it) all over our clothes, bed, carpets and guests. In almost every way they are identical to our cats. So...why did we bother to have babies at all? We already had two perfectly beautiful cats to enrich our lives. And we got a whole lot more sleep as well, in that previous life which now seems so distant. Answers on a postcard please...

So, would you rather have these majestic beasts or the sleeping beauties?

Left holding the baby...

A while ago we had planned to take the bubbas into College today, as it is the day of the Summer Barbecue. But, with the threat of swine flu and the fact that technically they are only two months old, we decided to err on the side of caution and leave them at home. Chris went into work to say Hi to all of her friends and colleagues and I stayed at home to try my hand at single-handed bubba handling. We both had a great day.

Here's Matthew pretending he's old enough to sit up by himself.

A quiet week

After the action last week, little much happened this week. My Mum and Dad came to stay for a few days, and our friend Helen dropped by. A few snaps:

Matthew looking coy.


Sophie. Too cute as ever.


Dad with another baby that fell from the sky...


Helen and Matthew falling in love...


It's all been too much for Matthew.