Wednesday 15 September 2010

The Gallery: A Celebration!

So it is week 27 of Tara's Gallery and this weeks prompt is a celebration.

At first I had all the usual thoughts about weddings, anniversary's, engagements, births, birthdays etc etc and whilst they were all amazing and wonderful celebrations they are what you would expect me to post a picture of. So I wont! lol

With all the excitement of the MADs awards on Monday it got me looking at @wearebutlins on twitter and I found that Butlins are running a competition for the best photo of you at Butlins. Well, this was one for me. When JJ was small, Butlins was our regular out of school holidays jaunt. We first went in 2004, twice in 2005, three times in 2006, once in 2007, once in 2009 and once in 2010. We are already booked again to go next April for Spring Harvest.

So I had an enjoyable hour last night reminiscing and looking at family holiday snaps and I watched JJ grow up at Butlins. These photos held really wonderful memories for me.

The celebration that I am going to post a picture (or two) of is a holiday we had at Butlins, Bognor Regis in early September 2007. My twinnies were just 6 weeks old. To get on holiday with a 3 year old and 6 week old twins was cause for a celebration in itself.

This was the same holiday where Miss M slept her first 6 hour stretch and where Miss E started to put on weight as I discovered Aptimel baby milk and she was able to take this without it upsetting her reflux too much. I decided on this holiday to give up breastfeeding Miss M and put them both on formula and whilst I was somewhat sad to do this (as I had breastfed JJ for 6 months) I knew it was the right choice for my family. JJ had his Mummy back again, a Mum who was not sat with 2 babes on her boobs for 2 hours out of every 3!

This was also the holiday where I got to leave dh to look after both babes and I slept in my Mum and Dads apartment and had a full nights sleep. My excitement was untold! Then to cap it all, as my Mum and Dad were there too, dh and I were also able to go out for 2 nights on our own and remember that we loved each other as us and not just as parents.

These were massive celebrations for me.......


There we all are in September 2007, a new family of 5. Perfect!


Back in May 2005 this snap off JJ and Daddy having fun in the outdoor pool of Minehead.


JJ and Daddy in 2007 at Bognor Regis.


JJ and Billy Bear in 2006 at Bognor Regis.


All 3 kids with their favourite 'Bobby The Builder' in July 2009.

Here's to making some more fab memories at Butlins, we will be back in April 2011, Skegness here we come.......