twinsurprise

So SO LONG

2011-08-23T14:36:00.001-07:00

Another massive gap but lets not beat ourselves up. Here is a cheeky one of Hector and Henry from Easter time.

So Long

2011-05-23T14:04:00.001-07:00

Since I posted its NOT FUNNY. So long grew the boy's hair.
Here they are pre-haircut.

New Forest Holiday November 2010

2010-12-09T13:56:00.001-08:00

At home November 2010

2010-12-09T13:51:00.001-08:00

Henry Loves Monmouth SO LONDON!

2010-10-18T07:54:00.001-07:00

Fixing tiny tiny skateboards.

2010-09-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

H&H inside Colourscape

2010-09-20T08:53:00.001-07:00

Hector's Diner, New York!

2010-09-20T02:06:00.000-07:00

All the trains

2010-09-18T02:28:00.000-07:00

Not always but sometimes

2010-09-18T02:26:00.000-07:00

SHIRTS

2010-09-15T04:05:00.000-07:00

Ride a cock horse

2010-09-13T05:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Family

2010-09-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

The Rythym of the night

2010-08-25T04:15:00.001-07:00

To be this F R E SH you have to start young

2010-08-23T06:01:00.001-07:00

Olly- OOP!

2010-08-23T05:53:00.001-07:00

Hector Skateboard skills

2010-08-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

Hector Rapid Fire Photography

2010-08-19T01:27:00.000-07:00

Henry Headphones

2010-08-16T10:23:00.001-07:00

The journey begins

2010-08-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hector starts the journey...

2010-08-09T02:40:00.001-07:00

IMG_0225

Bedtime?

2010-07-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

Discovering the Universe

2010-06-07T04:19:00.001-07:00

Henry is obviously after my heart here by selecting one of my favourite childhood books from the shelf all by himself. He was particularly interested in the diagram of the sun but mainly because it resembles a BALL.

Massive Bike

2010-06-07T04:18:00.001-07:00

In a Cage of his own making...

2010-05-18T02:15:00.001-07:00

Jumping!!

2010-05-13T04:01:00.001-07:00

Another day in sick bay

2010-04-29T02:09:00.001-07:00

Hector embraces the gouch.

Twin Illness

2010-04-28T04:47:00.000-07:00

Hector: chest infection, Convulsion (almost giving me a heart attack)
followed by painful mouthful of cold sores and nil by mouth.

Henry: surprise tonsillitis followed by
mouthful of cold sores.

Thank Henson for new DVD boxset of Muppet Show.

Saturday Morning

2010-04-10T13:26:00.001-07:00

Saturday shopping day.

2010-04-10T13:24:00.001-07:00

In the Scooter cafe garden Waterloo

2010-04-10T02:17:00.000-07:00

Hanging with the ladies!!

2010-04-03T04:17:00.001-07:00

End of biscuit, Start of tantrum.

2010-04-03T02:50:00.001-07:00

Greatest track yet.

2010-04-03T01:27:00.001-07:00

Watching Muppets

2010-03-27T15:04:00.001-07:00

Henry-go-round

2010-03-27T10:33:00.001-07:00

Hector &Grandma merry go round

2010-03-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

Skateboard

2010-03-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Twain Twack II

2010-03-26T02:11:00.000-07:00

France, Grignan 2009

2009-08-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

Bigger and Big Chill

2009-08-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

New pictures of the boys at home and at their second music festival - Big Chill 2009!
They loved i, we loved it!

At home

On the balcony bath

Big Chill

Henry spots a fairy

H&H when they are in their early 30's ??

Parents and Hector

2009-03-10T05:54:00.001-07:00

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A new post!!

2009-03-06T07:42:00.001-08:00

BALLOONS!!!!!!!!!!

Why the long face Hector??

Look at that! He sings while he's playing too!!

Here's a blues number...

He just fell over with a ping pong ball in his mouth...

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New Year - New Pictures

2009-01-21T06:21:00.001-08:00

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Do You Remember Us?

2008-10-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

Its been WAY too long since the last post so here is a wide selection of photos from the past few weeks..

Natty knitwear

I spy Hector

The butcher of Camberwell. You ain't seen nuthin right?

Henry goes for the submission

Back of the volvo Haye On Wye charming passers-by

Henry gets stripey

Hector works on his mother manipulation using the cute technique...

I prepared a statment...

Posers

Henry asleep on grandma Roberts

Henry assess the border defences before an escape attempt

The READERS

Neil and Henry share a joke

New configuration on the pram now the boys can sit up properly

Twins in cool backpacks in Wales before the cows scared us off..

New Pictures, Older thanthe next ones... (see next post)

2008-08-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

An assortment of beauties captured for prosterity. Many featuring the bouncy chairs.

In the garden, a great portrait:

Pippa often employs the 'covered parrot cage' technique to put the boys to sleep

HAT ON

Muscle Mary's, well they were in Brighton...

A right couple of gloves...

It's cruel but funny. Henry's face! LOL

But we're still friends:

At our first open air classical music concert ya?

I SEE YOU....

Spot the Hector...

H&H in Ulster

2008-08-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a week with my dad and Joan in Ballywalter County Down Northern Ireand. We had an incredibly relaxing time and even managed to have an eveing out without the boys for the first time in six months. It was a celebration for us to have made to half a year after being through so much already with our little boys. We had run ourselves into the ground so it was so nice not to have to cook or wash up for a whole week. Of course we both got ill for 36 hour periods as our bodies relaxed but the sea air reinvigourated us and has filled us with precious stamina to face the next six months.
Three generations and two beards of the McFarland clan:

We visited an open farm:

Here is new hold I discovered, not sure why I look so glum, must have been early:

Hector with auntie Joan who the boys love...

And the infatigable great auntie Sandra...

HALT - Papiers!

2008-07-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

I took about 130 photos of the boys trying to get decent shots for their passports. Here are few from the shoot.

Jeebs you reebs!

2008-06-25T01:55:00.000-07:00

Hector in the lab.

Neil et Nelson

One picture that's it.

I've told you BEFORE! Getoutofit!!

Join us...

Mum and Hector

Nearly crawling I'm afraid. VERY afraid...

Trio of man

Heads you reds?

Father like son

Saturday Morning

2008-05-31T02:42:00.001-07:00

Boys from Pippa's POV

Hector LOL

Henry smile

Chuffed

Neil and Henry

Neil and Henry

The look

Again, THANKS DAD. This will look great at the wedding.

Patented auto-feed system

Amazon and Ale

2008-05-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

Ahh, balmy spring evening. Me uploading pictures to the blog when I COULD be grabbing some sleep. I really spoil you people. Enjoy:

Henry uses those muscles

Henry crosses those eyes

Henry seems to be unsure of Hector...

Honestly, he really shuts up when they're together like this... Hector's SO not bothered.

Twenty tiny toes

Becky, the DELIVERER.

Another hat for Henry

Where the HELL is my ice-cream?

Hector on the playmat - his absolute favourite place in the world.

Springtime Pics

2008-05-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

Hector, Pip and Uncle Tony and the Queen.

The SLEEPERS

And to whom do I make the check payable?

Hector

Hector nearer to camera

Pip and Hector

Neil and Hector

Henry in the Garden

Great Grandmother

2008-05-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

This is my grandmother Margaret Paterson, she's 94. I knew her mother, my great grandmother as a boy as we would visit her in Scotland a couple of times every year until she died aged 99 when I was about 6. My gran's elder sister Barbara lived until she was 98.
I'm hoping I got some of them genes!
Anyway the boys had a lovely time listening to Margaret's stories which pour out of her for hours on end. Henry especially appreciated them and sat in his chair staring and listening to the soft Scottish accent of his elder.
Hopefully the hand of the reaper will allow many more years of these encounters and if Margaret's lust for life is anything to go by its not much of an ask.

Henry In The Tunnel

2008-04-24T14:33:00.001-07:00

Henry and Hector Portraits

2008-04-07T00:26:00.000-07:00

Lots of Tots

2008-03-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

A selection of new shots of THE LADS:

Aye, I remember when all this were fields...

Yeshhhh

ACTUAL TWINS

Sock a la tete

Today I have merged your company, tonight I sleep soundly...

A wonderful new rug from Rosemary Cleave, thank you Rosemary!

Becky, one of our amazing midwifes showing the boys how its done.

Butter would not melt...

Mixed Bizzness

2008-03-17T14:41:00.001-07:00

H&H

2008-03-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

http://www.parishair.com

Fun With Children

2008-03-03T14:24:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we have it...

http://www.parishair.com

Hector Movies

2008-02-26T06:33:00.000-08:00

Hector Is Home

2008-02-26T06:25:00.000-08:00

So here are some new pictures of the boys

Hugs For Hector

2008-02-19T13:22:00.001-08:00

http://www.parishair.com

Getting Better All The Time

2008-02-17T10:56:00.001-08:00

Big news is that we got hoofed out of our private room at the hospital. They offered us a bed on the ward (privacy = a curtain = YOU'RE alright) which we declined gracefully and high-tailed it home with a mixture of relief and sadness as we had to leave poor old Hector behind.
Its such a relief to be home though and great for Pip to be sleeping in her own bed again. Pip's mum Diana and her sister Tansy are staying with us so things are busy and happy and easy.
I've been riding to and fro with deliveries of mother's milk for Hector and today we spent the whole day with him. He's off the drip completely now and this week's task is to get him onto the breast/bottle (he currently receives his food through a tube through his nose down into his stomach and out of the hospital and HOME!!

With all that said here are new pictures:

Actual Brothers

The Secret

Auntie Tansy

WHY?????

Look at them move!

Thanks

2008-02-14T06:45:00.000-08:00

Hello. I just read your wonderful comments. Thank you so much. It means so much to hear your kind words. Please keep rooting for Hector, he still needs support and is still in intensive care. XX Neil

Still inside, New pictures

2008-02-14T06:27:00.000-08:00

So, Valentine's day and still in hospital. & days after the birth. We so desperately want to come home but Hector is not out of the woods yet. He can't sustain his own blood sugar level yet and is still on the glucose drip. His milk intake is being increased and Pip is beginning to get him back on the breast. Still waiting for test results, still nothing grown from the blood samples so no news on possible infection. His EEG scan was normal and we await the results on this mornings MRI scan.

That's the news on Hector, Henry on the other hand is doing very well, eating round the clock and continuing to make us laugh, which is just what we need in this stressful time...

And now here are a selection of new pictures:

Hector

Hector and Neil

Hector and Neil

Hector and Pip

Hector and Pip

Henry in the Light

Professor Henry ponders the solution.

Henry and Hector

2008-02-11T11:57:00.000-08:00

Henry Nelson McFarland was born at 11:49 AM on Thursday 7th February weighing 5lbs 1oz followed by his brother Hector __ McFarland at 1:45 PM weighing 5lbs 12oz.

Pippanella Roberts is the most amazing mother and my absolute heroine after she laboured for 25 hours beginning lunchtime in the 6th after being induced the evening before. Never I have I seen such bravery, strength, courage and perseverance as she gave birth with no pain relief whatsoever. She laboured from 12:30 lunchtime and looked likely to give birth at around 11pm but her contractions slowed. She then laboured again until 7 AM when it became clear that without some assistance the labour was stalled due to the incorrect positioning of Henry's head leading to decreased strength of contractions. She was administered a drip to re-start contractions and gave birth at the times above.

Our greatest thanks must go to our Albany midwives Becky and Nicky without whom the pregnancy would not have proceeded as it did IE with no unsolicited medical intervention. Apparently there was quite a crowd of infuriated doctors outside our door smarting at our firm instructions to STAY OUT. Pip gave birth with dignity and confidence and I will forever be in awe of her.

The boys get to know the proud father

We were due to leave hospital the next evening when a blood result detained Pippa. We settled into our room and began to get to know the boys and the joys (!!!! - TWO screaming babies) of parenthood.

On the morning of Saturday 9th of Feb at 5AM Pippa awoke me concerned with Hector's breathing. I carried my limp looking baby out to the nurses as he collapsed or had a seizure in my hands. A crash call was made and he was rushed to the high dependency unit. The doctors worked with awesome calm and speed and stablised Hector quickly, it is certain that if we had not been in hospital Hecor would have died.

We are still in hospital and that is why we have not contacted anyone for the last week, some of you already know this, to others this is news. Since being admitted to the high dependency unit Hector (who was briefly named Earl) is making positive steps to recovery but as yet we have no definitive answer as to what happened. Infection is the working diagnosis and he is being treated with anti-biotics fed on a drip.

Pippa at Hector's incubator

Pippa and Henry

Serious Henry,

Henry has helped us through these difficult days as we all urge Hector to get well soon.

It seems Hector will be in hospital for at least another week while his infection and other symptoms are treated. Pip and I have a private room in the hospital and Pip's mum Diana is ferrying us real food and clothes. I am writing this blog from our kitchen as I have escaped the hospital for a couple of hours to get news and pictures to the outside world!

Hector off the ventilator.

Henry

We would appreciate you not swamping us with get well wishes by text as its often upsetting to read but please feel free to add comments to the blog here and rest assured we will be in contact as soon as we are on our feet, hopefully by the end of the week. I'd like to say thank you for all your support and look forward to you meeting my two absolutely beautiful sons.

Neil.

37 Weeks

2008-01-25T17:21:00.001-08:00

How wonderful does the beautiful Pippa look? We've had a hard week to say the least. Last Friday the 19th January Pippanella was diagnosed with preeclampsia and told she'd have to be induced within hours. Luckily further tests revealed her condition to be mild.
When we met again with the obsteatrician today we had been primed by our wonderful midwife Nicky to expect the obsteatrician to insist on an induction this weekend. Thankfully this is not the case. However if labour does not occur before next Friday, a week today, February 1st 2008, then Pip will be induced having carried the twins for 38 weeks.
I am so proud of her. The pregnancy has been so easy and joyful, we have both had an absolutely wonderful time and now cannot wait to meet the two little IDIOTS who decided we would be a good choice to get born to!!

Three For the Price of TWO.

2008-01-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

Here are Pippa and Tughela showing off their children. This NYE.

Pippa prepares for Christmas

2007-12-28T10:02:00.000-08:00

Mother and Tree

2007-12-28T09:47:00.000-08:00

See how she glows!

Mother

2007-10-29T10:10:00.001-07:00

Pram Test Drive

2007-10-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

The weapon of choice for the father-of-two-to-be. The Jane twin pro.

Scan Two

2007-10-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

So, More picks o' the young 'uns. Again top baby wouldn't stay still to be scanned so we were in there for hours. Anyway they are both healthy and we're fairly sure that this one is a boy:

I've enhanced the picture a bit, its not a very good one due to the fact that he wouldn't stop moving! The other one was much better behaved. Will this pan out iin life outside the womb? baby number two we hope to the universe is a girl!

This is how it feels sometimes...

2007-09-26T02:22:00.001-07:00

Twin Surprise

2007-08-03T00:41:00.000-07:00

Hello.
Yes we were trying for a baby. Some lying bastards told us it
takes months to get pregnant. Anyway we have been keeping it secret for
three months and lying to friends until we had the first scan. We did
this to make sure the baby was OK before anyone started knitting.

Well last night we went to hospital for the ultra-sound scan. I was joking about twins while we waited.

In the scanning room one doctor prepared the machine while the other began to enter our details into the computer. She asked if we were having twins. Oh how we laughed and assured her that we were just having the one - thank you very much.

About five seconds later
Walter, a very nice Spanish doctor, applied the ultra-sound paddle and
then things got very very surreal. It was obvious that there two
chambers inside of Pippa TWO BABIES. TWINS. TWO OF THEM.

We were in there for an hour while Walter fought to get all the measurements
needed. Baby 1 (who lays at the bottom) refused to get in the correct
position. Happily we can report that both babies are totally normal and
healthy. They lie 'top-to-tail' and better get used to sharing.

When you see us you will notice a glazed/shocked look on our faces as we are struggling to come to terms with just what the hell is about to happen to us. One baby was always going to be a challenge. Two? Well, we'll see.

WAR IS WAR - That's the way I see things, one or two? I'm in a world of pain anyway, might as well go total shock and awe.

If you're reading this blog it means you are hearby drafted into the Pip and Neil army and will all be expected to take your turn at the front. Prepare yourself.

Baby 1_01

2007-08-03T00:40:00.000-07:00

Naughty baby number one is called number one as he/she is nearer the exit. At the bottom. With some idiot brother/sister laying on top of them.

Baby 1_02

2007-08-03T00:38:00.000-07:00

Don't worry the brain grows to fill that gap.

Baby 2_01

2007-08-03T00:37:00.001-07:00

This baby was a lot more lively but put itself in the correct position straight away. Perhaps it will have a better time of it as it is on top. But they will have to wait in line to get out the exit...

Baby 2_02

2007-08-03T00:36:00.000-07:00