This is THE END of BAPTISM WEEKEND - Part II.

We hope you enjoyed sharing our time with our family and our wonderful baby granddaughters, Justine and Lauren. When you look at these blog albums, be sure to scroll to the bottom of the blog and move upward - the sequence of events have been uploaded in that format.

Thanks for looking and be sure to check out all my blog albums by clicking on the words "View My Complete Profile" at right!

Some of the shots of Justine, in the purple striped outfit, are blurry - a disappointment because they would otherwise be so good. Lauren is a real character, lots of facial expressions from her. Both babies like the vibrating rockers most of the time, both look at you when you talk to them, both can follow things with their eyes and they are fascinated with shiny things like mirrors, moving things like mobiles, and music. These babies are so special and precious to us - it will be a pure joy to watch them grow up, but we sure hope they stay babies for a VERY long time!!

Well, sadly our 4-day Baptism Weekend trip was coming to an end. The house was being shown at 6:30 PM and Bob and I had to leave for the airport at 6:00 PM. So the next series of photos are some we took of the babies during our last 2 hours in Chicago on Monday, September 26, 2005, starting with this one of Bob holding an unhappy Justine and a wiggly Lauren.

Speaking of dressing the babies, Connie and Troy received some beautiful baby gifts from friends who shopped at Gymboree - leopard prints and hot pink must be the thing this year. The little outfits above are hot pink sweaters with faux leopard fur collars, leopard print pants, and little leopard print socks. Soooo cute . . . we can't wait to see them in these in a couple more months when they get big enough!

Bob and I took turns entertaining Justine after her bottle. Lauren had fallen asleep. Meanwhile, Justine needed another diaper change, but this time we had some clean-up challenges that necessitated another change of outfit - so goes life with babies - lots of laundry! Good thing Connie has such a great selection of little clothes for the girls - it's fun to dress them!

Bob was talking to Lauren and trying to get her to smile, something both babies have just started to do. Justine will coo a little too and giggle. The next series of photos are of Lauren in Bob's lap after her bottle.

This is the thing: Not only are Troy and Connie trying to care for two premature babies, a doggie and Troy's job, but they also have their condo on the market, so the realtor is showing the house regularly!! Incredible . . . and very difficult! It's tough enough trying to get the babies' needs handled 24/7, but to do it in a virtual model home is nearly impossible - not to mention that Connie, Lexi and the babies have to be out of the house when it's shown!

Grandma Marti got Justine ready too: first a diaper change, then her little jammies, and finally she got her bottle. I'm trying to get her to burp here, but she's kind of tired. She keeps laying her head on my shoulder. Soooo sweet!

Grandpa Bob fed Lauren after her diaper was changed and we put her in her little jammies.

After a couple of hours, Lauren awoke and was ready for her bottle. We needed to change her diaper first, though, and she was very cooperative - which was unusual, I thought, because when I stayed with them four weeks earlier, she had been impatient and demanding when she wanted a bottle. She would kick and scream when I changed her diaper waiting for her bottle to warm. This time she was more tolerant of the whole process.

When we arrived, the babies (Justine above and Lauren at left) were asleep after a busy morning at their developmental appointment at the hospital - and they passed all their developmental tests with flying colors! We were so proud of them. And they had gained weight in just four short weeks: Justine from 9 lbs-6 oz to 11 lbs-3 oz and Lauren from 6 lbs-11 oz to 8 lbs-4 oz. These baby girls are topping the charts! Course, I guess a little of the credit has to go to a great mom and dad, but particularly Connie, who's home with them 24/7!

This is what we saw when we got to Troy and Connie's after lunch with Todd and Troy: Justine Marie at left and Lauren Ann at right. Aren't they just toooo cute??!!

Coincidentally, Troy and Todd work in downtown Chicago just a few blocks from one another. Troy works in the building on the left near Wacker Street. And Todd works in the Wrigley Building on Michigan Avenue (right). We checked out of the Hyatt, met the guys for a great lunch and then headed over to Troy and Connie's to "babysit" while Betty and Connie ran some errands.

This was the end of Day 3, September 25, 2005, Baptism Day. Bob and I went out for dinner with Todd and Stephanie, who had been at a wedding in Indiana the evening before and missed our Tapa's dinner with Trent, Amy, Troy and Connie.

Everyone left to return to their jobs or school the next day. Betty was staying with Troy and Connie for another week to help with the babies, and Bob and I had planned to stay an extra day, Monday, September 26 to have lunch with Todd and Troy in downtown Chicago, and to give Betty and Connie an afternoon off to exchange baby clothes and shop.

The babies are supposed to get some "tummy time" each day to help strenthen their necks and arms. So here is Justine doing her exercises. We had Lauren do the same thing and she almost turned herself over on one side. We couldn't get our cameras fast enough, though.

Smile, Justine, for Aunt Carrie's camera!

Grandpa Bob and Justine

Lauren is adorable too - being held here by her 12-year-old Uncle Andy.

More shots of Justine being positioned by her Grandpa Bob.

When I stayed with Troy and Connie from August 20 to September 6, 2005, I took 300 photos. At that time, I took more pictures of Lauren because I thought I had already taken a lot of Justine. As it turned out, I had very few of Justine, so wanted to make up for that in this blog album. The next series of photos is of darling Justine Marie on the day she was baptized, Sunday, September 25, 2005, sitting on her Grandpa Bob's lap at her home in Chicago.

Here's a great shot of Lynette holding Justine.

Don't know how Connie managed it all, but she catered in a beautiful buffet for lunch with a lovely cake. We changed the babies out of their dresses, got them fed and comfortable, and proceeded to eat and enjoy the company of both families together.

It was difficult to get this shot of Justine (left) and Lauren. First, it was hard to get high enough above them to get a good position (which we never were able to do). Second, the girls weren't all that thrilled to be lying there, so they were fussy. This is the best shot we got and it looks like Lauren socked Justine in the ear making Justine start to cry. Oh well, the dresses were gorgeous and the photos don't do them justice!

This is Justine in her beautiful laced and beaded baptism dress.

She's sitting in Grandma Marti's lap.

This is the beginning of a blog album entitled Baptism Weekend - Part II. Baptism Weekend Part I and II document our new granddaughters' baptism on Sunday, September 25, 2005 in Chicago, Illinois.

To take a look at all of my blog albums, including Baptism Weekend - Part I, click on "View My Complete Profile" in the upper righthand side of this blog.