Grand Help in Aug

Grandpa and the Baum Twins, August 09

On the same Sunday (8-23) that Grammy Sharon left, Grandpa Boespflug arrived to help us during Mommy's recovery from nose surgery. On Monday, Daddy went to work, and Mommy had to rest, so Grandpa took the twins, alone, to the aquarium. Yes, our 69-yr-old, brave-and-able Grandpa took his 2.5-yr-old grandchildren to the aquarium all by himself--a feat that only Mommy or Daddy have dared in the past, sometimes regretting it afterward!

About mid-week, the SC heat led them to the backyard. My new favorite pic of Grace Lily, so happy in the summer warmth, wearing a pink dress and orange "pearls," a bit wet from the hose and kiddie pool.

Chance and Grandpa, two of a kind, created a new game in which Chance runs to Grandpa and Grandpa sprays him with the hose . . . over and over and over. Note the cute airplane that Chance is holding, a gift from Grandpa from the airport. SEE VIDEO too.


The Game is ON!

Who needs a water park? Grace Lily took a break and was watching from the porch--then runs over to Mommy.

Lovin' the slide into the pool.

Bubble Time with Grandpa and Daddy.

The twins can blow bubbles by themselves. Grandpa is very impressed by Gracie's bubble talent. Chance loves chasin' 'em as much as blowin' 'em.

On the way to a dr appt for the twins, we ate at Dunkin Donuts, where Grace fed Grandpa a donut hole.

Grandma Boespflug arrived by the end of the week, making pancakes in the shapes of airplanes, trucks, flowers, and hearts (because Mommy just can't get those molds to work right)!

Thanks so much for your help, guys! :)

Jump ahead to MID-NOVEMBER: About 2 weeks ago, the twins--yes, both of them, at the same time--started calling us "Dad" and "Mom" regularly. Why? They won't say.

Here's yesterday's (11-27) example of the differences between the twins' personalities (at 2.5 yrs old):
Aunt Carla has been giving the twins collectible, stuffed Starbucks bears, which they love. Carla gave Mommy two more bears when we saw her at Thanksgiving. "Safe" inside a grocery bag, I set them on the counter back at home and walked away to do something, only to find that the twins had "found" the bag, opened it, and each chosen one Xmas bear. I said, "Oh no! Aunt Carla wanted you to have those at Christmas! She's gonna be mad at Mommy for letting you have them so early." (Shortened expl. here.) Neither responded at first, and I explained again. Chance then looked worried and held his bear out to me, "Here, Mommy. Aunt Carla will be mad at you?" (heartbreaking compassion!) Grace grinned and hugged her bear, "I like my bear!" (Ahh, the enthusiasm and strong will!)

Will Aunt Carla forgive Mommy for not hiding those bears better?

Back in Chas. with Grammy Sharon (in August)

Ah, it's November, and I'm still posting pics from mid-August! I've said it before and will say it again: I never understood BUSY until I had twins.

When the twins and Mommy returned from Colorado with Grammy Sharon, we found a brand-new KidKraft kitchen (from our Costless outlet again) in the living room, painstakingly put together by Daddy while we were gone. Daddy wonders why Mommy buy things for the twins that have 1,000 parts (and he has to put together -- aww, ain't Daddy great?).
And because their schedules were still on Mountain Time, Grace didn't want to go to bed the night we returned (even though we'd been up since 4 am Mtn). She somehow opened Mommy's drawers and pulled out these capris, shirt, and belt. See VIDEO.
With Grammy Sharon, we went to see the Gugel twins up in Columbia one morning. Uncle Scott showed the Baum Twins his boat, and all four of them played inside and on the back porch in the plastic shower pool.

Of course, we took Grammy to the SC Aquarium -- our fav place.

Grammy took Chance over to a particular display, where one of the little fish followed Grammy's then Chance's finger across the glass.

After the aquarium, none other than the yummy Jestine's!! Chance is notorious for breaking out into song whenever and wherever -- and almost always off-key -- which we think is awesome. No inhibitions! We love it. This VIDEO is even more hilarious in that Chance, then Grace, is singing "Amazing Grace," and I captured the "wretch like me" section (though Grammy says she heard him say "wretch like Grace.") See VIDEO!

Then Mommy underwent her NOSE surgery while Grammy Sharon took care of the twins (and Mommy and Daddy) for a couple of days.

Thank you, Mom/Grammy Sharon!