Grandparents visit:
My family are essential to me. I can't put into words clearly just how important they are - it was wonderful to see my parents. (Last time was Christmas). It is such a priceless gift to give to the twins - part of their developing sense of who they are that such visits build up their relationship and understanding of their grandparents. Even though we live in different states we are able to maintain a close relationship. I have been blessed with wonderful parents.
Dad's pics:
Brat on the go
Cheeky brat on Nin Nin's walker
Grandchildren ... TwinsMy parents were just amazing when the twins were born - I knew that they were there for me - no questions. Now I know that they would knock me over with Mum's walker in thier haste to get to those twins but be just as quick to turn around and give me a hand back up - I am their daughter after all!
Beautiful Girl
Silly Shot
GrandpaI love my father to bits. He had a difficult, poor childhood - not that he will admit to - but Lordy - the bits I have gleaned over the years ... he did absolutely EVERYTHING to ensure that his children did not have that sort of childhood - and he SUCCEEDED. He is loyal above and beyond - to this day I have not heard him speak a word against his father - a man who clearly not worthy of my Dad as his sondid not value others as much as he did himself. As children my mother would accuse us of loving Dad too much - of putting him on a pedestal. Well even now, older and supposedly wiser - he is there still, standing tall. He cares for my Mum without fuss - a fact we have only recently begun to grasp - he puts out her breakfast in the morning, rings from work to make sure she got up ok. He cooks and does the shopping. He weathers her moods and her medical appointments without fuss. He loves her unconditionally.
Nin Nin I am my mother's baby. We have always been close. Sometimes it is hard to see the vibrant ambitious woman I loved hobbled by arthritis, diabetes, heart disease ... but she is SO much still there - the SPIRIT is strong - I saw it just this weekend. It was so nice to see her enjoy herself - visiting with the twins and then at dinner on Sat night when the twin's Nan and Pop came over for dinner. She taught us of course that our father was amazing, a hero. He was her hero then and he still is today - but if he is there is a part of that that is due to her.

My parents met when Dad was 16, Mum 18. They married on Mum's 21st with court permission because Dad was still a minor at 19. He was also an orphan by then. Mum's childhood was spent in the country - her father was a labourer and rabbitter on various stations. My eldest two sisters were born in a small country town in SE QLD. The second one was born deaf, with vision impairment and in need of heart surgery - a rubella baby. The family moved to the big smoke of Brisbane circa 1966, before I was born - looking for the resources they needed for my sister and a future of greater opportunities. Our parents did everything they could to raise us with love and opportunities. I can't possibly thank them enough. Their parenting continues of course ... and for that I am truly thankful.

Musical beds. Some mornings it seems impossible to work out who is in whose bed here. In some ways that is the good thing about the brats being out of cots - if they have a restless night you can get a bit of rest lying down on their bed at least. Here is a pic taken by my hubby - about 30 minutes after our visitors left today - I tink I was asleep before Hannah - Kit was on his way to his own bed but had to cuddle uMmmy and Hannah en route.