Part 3.... June part 2

Ok... where was I? You'd think that with all of those pictures and trips to the lake that I'd be far into June, but I was actually only halfway through it!

Day before turning 2 months old! Sacked out in Mommy and Daddy's bed... I could eat them up!

On June 16th, Jack Henry and Harrison turned 2 months old. My mom was kind enough to go to their appointment with me again. Jack Henry weighed in at 11 lbs 3 oz and was 21.75 inches long. Harrison weighed in at 9 lbs 2 oz and was 21.50 inches long. Praise the Lord for healthy babies! They did SURPRISINGLY well with their shots and you would've thought that the oral vaccination was candy because Harrison sucked it down fast! Both boys definitely let us know that it hurt, b/c it did---there were 4 shots!--but then quickly settled down once they were in our arms :) That night, Josh and I ended up accidentally sleeping most of the night with them on the couches. I kept waking up, thinking that the boys were going to wake us up at any minute to eat, but then I'd fall back asleep. It wasn't until about 2 or 3am (they were supposed to eat at 11pm) that they woke us up! That was the first time that they'd gone that long on their own! It was also a special/big night, because Jack Henry had his first social smile!~ I LOVED IT!!! (Harrison actually had his later that week, too!) So, thinking we were onto something good, Josh and I purposefully snuggled them up on the couches again the next night. They did it again! I was due to take the boys to the lake that weekend and were wondering if they were just doing that because the sleep sooo good on our chests/snuggled with us, or if they were actually learning to sleep longer. Well, at the lake, they kept it up and would do 5 and 6 hour stretches! YAY!

Josh and Harrison after a feeding on our 2nd "couch night" before getting comfortable and safe. we dont want anyone falling off of the couch!

!

JH before he and I got snuggled up for the night :)

That weekend, Josh came down Saturday night for Father's Day on Sunday. Here he is with his precious boys.

and here I am :)

Joshy had to get back to work, but the boys and I stayed through Wednesday because some of our VERY favorite people, Sherra (Nana), Kendal, and Paige Jones... plus 2 of Kendal's kids, Logan and Grace drove up from Orlando to spend some time with us at the lake house! They are very old friends (they're not old, the friendships are haha) from Camp Winnataska! My mom met Sherra while she was out there finding a way to be helpful around camp while her girls were campers. Sherra ended up going to nursing school and joining my mom at camp every summer for at least a week as the camp nurse. She is one of the absolutely most precious and Godly women I have ever known. Sherra's girls babysat all of us Brannon girls growing up. We all adore the Jones family!!! Unfortunately for all of us at the lake, the boys were going through their fussy phase.... they woul.d just cry and cry and cry. It lasted a few weeks. Aunt Podge and Aunt Grace were AMAZING and each took a night or two with me doing the "night shift" feeding the babies. I adored that special time together with them and the babies.

Because of this phase, this is the only way they were happy as I was helping to clean the lake house and pack us up to go:

Needless to say, this "fussy phase" made for a MISERABLE ride home from the lake! Thank goodness Aunt Podge generously rode home with us and was able to replace pacies and attempt to soothe the boys. Its hard not knowing why your babies are crying and how to help!.... There seems to have been no real answer during this phase other than it was a phase. That's my take on it at least. Fortunately, I've talked to other mommies who've experienced this as well.

Snuggling with Daddy the morning after we came home from the lake.

The next weekend, Gigi and Papa, Josh's parents came to visit! It was the first opportunity for Josh's dad to get to Bham since coming the weekend after the babies were born, so that meant it was his first time to get to hold JH...so that was pretty special. That Saturday, Josh's Aunt Brenda and grandmother "Memaw Grace" came to town and went to lunch with us and met the boys for the first time.

There are some days with babies/kids where you are just trying to survive. The next few pics are of one of those days...

Clearly this was still in the fussy phase.... (6/27/10)

Finally some peace....

The next day I had the tremendous honor of doing Hillside at Camp Winnataska, one of my all-time favorite places in the world! Hillside is a time immediately after dinner where the entire camp gets together for a brief devotional usually given by an outside guest. I'd done many things at camp: health hut baby/kid, camper, Leader in Training, Leader, Special Leader (worked in activity area while also staying with campers in hut), Senior Leader, and Staff for 2 years, but I'd never had the honor of giving a Hillside as an "adult." (I'd done one while on Staff, but this was different). I spoke about how incredible it was to me how God was using my baby boys to teach me more about Him and the relationship He wants from us, even at only 2 months old. They are completely dependent upon me, they trust me whole-heartedly, and love me unconditionally. My love for my babies gives me more insight in to how much God loves me, but is obviously not even comparable. It was a special experience and it was wonderful getting to see old camp friends and to introduce the boys to "the camp that we love the best of all!" Here they are in the Mainside Director's Hut getting a quick diaper change and a pic of Josh with H while I was changing JH's diaper.

My future Blackfeet:

This wraps up June for the Gamble family of four... I'll leave you with pictures from Tuesday, June 29th. Sweet babies!