Summer Fun!

Lots of summer fun with the Tummers' Boys. They are all very busy and having a great time. The younger two enjoyed some 'splash pad' fun....


though Cameron wasn't too sure what to think of it at first.

But Brycen was very into every drop of water!!!

And he helped Cameron explore and enjoy the water!!!

So soon Cameron was having just as much fun too!

I just LOVE this picture...

And while all the above fun was happening, Zack was taking swimming lessons in the Mitchell Pool. He did great and after 2 weeks he passed level 2!


Swinging on Grandma and Papa Ireland's tree swing.

For a number of summers we've had an ongoing 'playground' project. When Brycen was 1 it got started and we bought him a baby swing for his birthday....thank goodness we had more children...he's WAY to big for it now!!!

Zack loves to swing and loves that he can do it at home all the time now. Incidentally for those who didn't know, our playground is right in front Cole's garden and it's nice to have our boys together outdoors.

And didn't I say it was good that we'd had more children to enjoy this great swing!!! Cameron loves it!

We took another camping trip with our friends the Angst's and the Nelson's. We went to Lake Huron Resort near Goderich and I have to say...there's nothing like a Lake Huron sunset....






Cameron wasn't so sure of the sand and the water at first so he hung out with Daddy while....

Zack and Brycen ran up and down the beach discovering shells and rocks and having a great time!



Play hard....sleep harder!!!


The next day we spent some more time on the beach. Brycen was a riot to watch playing in the waves. He'd sit in the water and then when it touched him he would shriek, jump up and run screaming up to shore!


Cameron was much more subdued and enjoyed time playing in the sand. He especially loves to stir the sand in his pail...fascinates him for a good 2 minutes!!!!




Cameron enjoyed his first ever feed of 'cob on the corn' as Brycen calls it. He LOVED it, so much that when he was finished his first cob he threw it at us and started signing more please!
Incidentally, Cameron has a few signs... more, please, cookie, drink, shoes, out, up etc. He isn't really talking too much yet...he was Da, Ma, Za (Zack), DoDa (Koda the dog), uh oh (his first word and still his most prevalent!!!), uh huh (for yes) and Ba (for bye). He's running now...forget the walking. He's also climbing, everything he can find! He is very sneaky and silly and loves to play games, laugh, read stories and really is joy to be around. He still weighs 22lbs...he hasn't gained anything in about 6 months but since he has gotten so active that isn't surprising. And he's short...no big surprise there either!

On Monday our family took a trip. A trip down memory lane for some of us but most of all a trip to deliver a very special gift to a very special person and place. We traveled to Toronto to give Dr. Ryan, the Fetal Therapy program and Mt. Sinai Hospital the donations that we gathered on their behalf from our friends and our family and our amazing community through our fundraiser held in late May.



We met with the staff from the foundation and were shocked to see that we weren't just meeting with their director of development. Instead it was a group of 5 or 6 staff members...PR staff, communications staff, special events co-ordinators. It was rather amazing and we felt like we'd made a huge contribution to them. They brought a huge cheque in and we filled it out.

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And then we got to meet with our hero, the namesake of our very special twin sons Cameron Cole Gregory and Cole Edward Ryan, Dr. Greg Ryan...the man who saved Cameron's life.



We spent a lot of time talking to Dr. Ryan. He as amazed at how well our little miracle is doing. He admitted to us repeatedly that he really was impressed with Cameron and that odds Cameron beat are pretty astronomical. He just kept saying 'I can't get over how well he's doing'. He even looked at Cameron's scar and gave us his best guess as to what caused it...amniotic band syndrome...and one more reason why it is just amazing that Cameron is here with no real issues affecting him. Though it was good to hear all these things, it was also another moment for me to realize how close we came to having a different result. Dr. Ryan told us that he really didn't think our outcome would be as positive as it was though he also admitted that upon seeing our initial admittance results when we arrived, he also hadn't thought we'd lose Cole either. It's good to hear that he's so pleased with the results of all our hard work but also very emotional to know that the doctor who was responsible for saving your son's lives wasn't sure he'd save either of them.


Dr.Ryan was also amazed at how well our fundraiser had gone. He asked tons of questions about how we raised the money and who the donations came from. He is pretty sure he's never had a 'tractor square dance set' sponsor any of his programs before. He was so very touched that we did this for his program and he has the perfect place for these funds....a new fetal scope (the instrument used in the surgery that was done to stop the connections in the placenta that caused the TTTS).



And then we presented him with our cheque...in total $3800. Truly amazing...we all felt this. Me, most of all as I had projected raising $2000 or less.
So thank you to everyone who helped us with this event...it was truly an event to remember from start to finish!
P.S. After some more totaling and our donation that I thought was in the envelope but was here at home...therefore not counted....the grand total is $3975!!!

Ireland Family Camping Trip

Canada Day weekend was spent on our annual Ireland Family Camping weekend. This year we tried out a new campground, Conestoga Family Campground. It was a great weekend...beautiful weather, tons of fun, lots of laughs!


Brycen hanging out in our new trailer....still a pop up trailer but much bigger and the sides are solid (they hinge and collapse in). We LOVE it!

another shot in the trailer

And yet another....from the outside this time.


A new and very fun game...Ogosport.


Cameron wasn't sure about the pool at first...he hates the bathtub right now too...but soon he was very excited to splash and have fun...such a little fish!

Now it's Zack's turn to relax and chill out!

Brycen swimming on the Papa fish!

Zack playing with his cousin Justin in the pool.

Cameron - relaxin and chillaxin!!!

Happy Canada Day!


Brycen was abit scared of the sparklers at first but Justin helped him and he was pretty excited after that.



Papa, Zack and Brycen had an imaginary bear hunt...complete with a slaughter and roasting over the fire.

They completed the hunt with bear for breakfast. Oh to be 7...or 56 with a great imagination??? again!


Cameron and cousin Joel enjoying water play!

Brycen got Giraffe-a-laugh-a limbo for his birthday and we took it camping...for a few laughs and lots of entertainment!

Brycen is 4!!!

Brycen was lucky enough to celebrate his birthday this year (again) at Camp Kintail...the Presbyterian Church Camp that is affiliated with our church and where a group from our church spends a work weekend and a retreat weekend each year.

He shared his birthday with one of the camp counsellors...so he shared his cake with her too!

Are you one, are you two, are you three, are you four??? FOUR, yeah FOUR!!!


A birthday kiss from staffer, Flame.

'Mom, Dad, this is the best present EVER!!!! '
A ball glove and new shoes...who knew it was so easy to make someone's day!!!


Opening his birthday present from his godparents, Bill and Cheryl (who is also his babysitter)...a train set! He was so excited and it's been all over the basement floor ever since!

Birthday hugs from Anita!

Birthday hugs from Catharine.

I made an Under the Sea cake...and was rather proud of how well it turned out!

Brycen and his good buddy Austin were born 3 days apart so we celebrate together each year. The boys loved their cake and their party.



Cheese!!!!

Brycen and Austin...two birthday boys happy with all their presents!!!

Brycen finally got to have his friends over for a party 2 weeks after his birthday. He was sure he was turning 5 or maybe 6 since he'd now had cake 3 times!!! The kids decorated their own cupcakes instead of having a birthday cake.

Ah, ah, ah feeeewwwwww!!! Yup, no girlfriends!!!!

Opening presents at his party... this was a car wash...it is lots of fun and makes LOTS of mess!!!