Videos

Dog saliva

Chance and Grace think our golden retrievers are their own personal entertainment. The twins usually smile and even laugh out loud when one of our pups comes near. Sometimes, they even act like our dogs are a soothing presence.

Thankfully, our pediatrician said that our dogs' saliva is "fine," so we let Nestle (our affection-needy pup who is shown in these pictures) kiss the babies--but only for a minute or two. Gracie will start crying if she is licked too long; it must irritate her sensitive baby skin after a while.

There's No One Like Grandpa!

Our "Aunt Shannon" came for a visit over Labor Day weekend and took pictures with her groovy new camera, so she'll be our "guest blogger" for a post--coming soon!

After she left, Grandpa Boespflug came for a visit; the Baumgartner twins had just turned 5 months old!







Grace and Grandpa ate breakfast together one morning. Grace enjoyed the advertisement for Eggo waffles in Parenting magazine. (It apparently seemed more appetizing than the breast milk she's eating.)


















Grace decided that Grandpa's lap was the coziest place to nap.

Or perhaps Grandpa's deodorant (or lack thereof?) just caused her to pass out?!















Chance discovered the fantastic view from Grandpa's shoulders while we hiked at Tannehill State Park in the early fall weather (temps in the upper 70s that weekday morning, but unfortunately, the train wasn't running because school had started).

Chance, exhausted after so much fun and stimulation, drools on Grandpa while sleeping.

A trip to the McWane Science Center in downtown Birmingham (http://www.mcwane.org/) where Grandpa held Chance over the fish tank so he could see the fish.

And where Grandpa also taught Chance how to wash his hands in the bathroom! At Chance's next bath, he then confidently reached his hands out to touch the water falling into the bathtub.

Bed of Nails, Nekked

Okay, we didn't lie on a bed of nails naked (or "nekked," as we say here in the south), but we did go to the McWane Science Center in Birmingham (http://www.mcwane.org/) where Aunt Amanda, Mommy, Grace, and Chance laid on a bed of nails--with our clothes on! :) Chance couldn't even blink he was so enthralled with everything, but Little Gracie took a short nap when we went to the aquarium downstairs (though she did not miss the octopus).

Also during Aunt Amanda's visit, we took "nekked" photos of the twins, which turned out adorable (I'm biased). And we had lunch with our own Pat Davis from church; she and her husband, Bill, have been such a blessing to us while we’ve lived in Birmingham!

Baptisms

When we arrived in White Rock, SC, at 2 am on Friday, the twins awoke (the car had stopped moving!) and didn't go back to sleep until 4 am. Then they awoke again at 8 am, so sleepy Mommy and Daddy decided to seize the cooler air and took a stroller ride over to Grandma and Grandpa Baumgartner's house, only a "stone's throw" from our guest house, where we introduced the twins to their grandparents for the first time--and took lots of pictures.

On Saturday (Aug. 18), we gathered at the New Life Chapel at the Lowman Home (http://www.lowmanhome.org/) for the baptismal service. Eric's dad, Rev. Hugh Baumgartner (who is a spry 86 years old), poured the sacramental water on his grandchildren's heads while Eric's brother, Rev. Paul Baumgartner (also very spry--and considerably younger than 86 years old!), presided over the service and anointed the twins' heads with oil. Mommy and Daddy are grateful that both could perform the service for us, and we value the sacrament of baptism. As the Evangelical Lutheran Book of Worship says:

As we present Chance Leo and Grace Lily for baptism, we "are entrusted with gifts and responsibilities to live with them among God's faithful people, bring them to the word of God and the holy supper, and nurture them in faith and prayer, so that they may learn to trust God, proclaim Christ through word and deed, care for others and the world God made, and work for justice and peace among all people."

Both babies were alert and cheery, though Chance "talked" through much of the service. (Grace demurely sucked on her pacifier.) Afterward, our "active" little boy decided to pull Mommy's hair for the pictures (see below)! Following the service, about 28 Baumgartners, Grandpa and Grandma Boespflug (Jenny's family who flew down from Albany, NY), Julie Young (our "Aunt JuJu" who drove up from Charleston), and Liz and Russ Merritt (dear friends who drove from N. Augusta) enjoyed a feast together, a gift from Uncle Andy and Aunt Nancy Baumgartner--thanks very much, y'all! Delish!

Photos Below:

(L to R): Pastor Paul Baumgartner (Eric's brother); Pastor Hugh E. Baumgartner (Eric's dad); Pastor Lyerly (Lowman Home Chaplain); Jenny and Grace (with Chance pulling her hair); Eric and ChanceGrandad and Grandma Baumgartner with us on Sunday afternoon after the baptisms.



Grandma Baumgartner holding Grace who fell asleep on her shoulder.

Grandpa Boespflug holding Chance who fell asleep on his lap (several times over the weekend!).