Finally ...

Emily (pictured above with Brooke) and I have been trying to arrange a Baby Shower for some time now but with Preemies, gall stones, medevacks to Vancouver etc., it has been delayed then delayed some more.  Finally we found a time when everyone was home and well (well, well enough, I just had dental surgery the evening before) so the shower was finally planned and executed - well before the twins went to University! (lots of "well"s in that sentence, but that is a good word to have lots of) Emily did a fine job with the invites (lots and lots of their friends attended), gifts of smoothies/meatballs for Brooke (which she is sampling in the above photo)  and wine (and I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot more that she did).  I couldn't have done it without her.  And Brooke is a great looking mother of twins.  

The babies were passed around and around.  They were happy to be constantly held and were definitely on their best behaviour.

Everyone loves a party including Emerson, who was awake for most of it.

As Emerson is cow milk protein intolerant, so no milk or milk products of any kind for Brooke, and as I'm wheat free and have packed most of my cake pans anyway, I decided to make a diaper cake.  Although you couldn't eat it, it was displayed on the food table anyway.  

Aug 11, 2014

I twinsat this week, just to give BR a bit of sleep.  The babies had just been fed and with a full tummy, Alanna did what she does best, lays back and happily sleeps.

Emerson did what he does best.  Not sleep.   And to try to eliminate some noise, I plugged him up, although that didn't last long.  He tends to spit out his pacifier.

Here they are in their new chairs.  Now instead of lying on their backs and looking at the ceiling all the time they are able to look around if they wish.  They are just starting to focus on people and nearby objects.  Now I am starting to remember (and look up) stages of babies.

Saturday

Asked if the new family required any assistance today.  Apparently little "M" is having a growing spurt (of yeah, I forgot about those!) and feeding every two hours day and night so the parents are not getting sleep.  And the dogs are being neglected.  So my job today was to walk the dogs.  Even though it is the beginning of August, it feels like the middle of September with a brisk north wind blowing and the clouds threatening rain.  Good weather for a brisk walk.  

Timber is still un-trustworthy and I keep him on a leash.  That way I know where he is at all times.  Too bad I cut off his tail in the above photo.  Brooke calls it a fashion statement.  But I have to take the photo quickly as he is still for just a fraction of a minute before he is chasing more butterflies, squirrels or voles.  He is really like a little boy.

Of course Princess Lil is bordering on perfect.  No leash necessary for her as she listens to me.

We entered a dense portion of woods.  It was dead quiet except for the ravens' calls bouncing off the trees - caw, caw, caw ...  you could almost hear their wings flapping overhead.   Then the wind would rise up and blow the witches hair on the branches.  The dogs ears perked up, I'd like to say from the atmosphere but have to truthfully say it was because we were in the squirrel section of the woods and they were ready for the chase.  This area reminded me of Game of Thrones.  I have just finished season three, so I'm sure you'll be happy when I finally catch up so I don't keep referring back to this tv series.

An hour later we returned, just in time to say hello to a little girl and a little boy who just awoke.

The Raven

Went to Wal-Mart the other day and parked beside this big fella.  He was sitting on the shopping carts  and making quite the noise.  Ravens amaze me.  They are so big and black and their beaks are so strong and dangerous looking and yet they do not bother us.  I did see a raven with a baby bird in its beak last spring - a sad sight for sure.  They are nest robbers, but we rarely see that.  They remind me of a poem I studied in grade 7- Mr. Roy's class.  I don't remember the name but the raven plucked the bonnie blue eyes of some dead person.  And I just saw a dead raven - something I have never before seen - lying at the base of an electrical pole.  I was walking the dogs and of course they sniffed it out. I phoned Yukon Electric (or should I say Atco) when I got home and told them they should remove this bird from the base of their pole.  I don't know whether or not they did as I haven't walked that way again.  But I have often wondered where the birds go to die. I don't think the base of electrical poles is the answer though.  I am now watching Game of Thrones.  Lots of ravens in that, carrying messages or gathering in the trees caw caw cawing out danger.  Just a few raven thoughts.

Week's End

Well it was a whirlwind week for me.  A few of you will know what I mean and the rest will just have to believe me.  I discovered that looking after two babies is more than twice the amount of work of  looking after one.  I discovered that one hour of sleep is not enough and I re-discovered that one can only do what one can do and must prioritize and just let the rest go.  I also discovered that being able to depend on friends is priceless and I don't have to do everything myself.  Thank you friends.  I can't tell you how much your support means to me and I may be calling on you sooner than you think.  The week ended with a meal with my friends at the Wolf's Den out on the Alaska Highway.  The day was hot and sunny, a perfect day to break bread and sip wine on the deck.