One Month!

Our sweet baby is one month old today.

She may be getting old, but she still fits on the recliner!



To celebrate, she got to sleep through her first trip to the salon while I got my hair cut.

Going with Mama is tiring work!

Cars, Cars, Cars

Yesterday we recieved a package from Uncle Jack and Aunt Carla. In it were a very cute blanket and piggy bank for A and 3 super-cool 5-packs of Hotwheels cars. The boys have been in car heaven and have played with them every waking minute since they opened them (well, almost--they did take a break to watch "Super Friends," I think). TJ even propped them up on his dresser last night so he could see them from his bunk bed. Here are the boys and their treasures (I HAD to take pictures of them all lined up).

TW"s

J's (Including a "Roadkill Patrol" truck)

TJ's and a baby foot

Thank you Aunt Carla and Uncle Jack--you sure know how to make boys happy!

Meeting Friends

Yesterday, Jordan, Zach and Addie finally got to meet the baby. Yea! It's really hard to find a relatively germ-free window to get 7 kids together...I don't know where Zach was at holding and picture time--probably wrestling TJ.

Jordan LOVES babies!

Addie, Addie!!

We're hoping Little A's eyes are as beautiful as Addie's--and we haven't yet decided if Addie is going to marry TW or J...they'll just have to fight it out.

"Take a pichur of me!"

J likes to pose. Maybe he's been photographed too much in his life, or maybe he just likes to see himself on the camera afterwards--but, "Take a pichur of me!" is a common phrase around here. This is his most recent insistent pose, "Bungee Boy."

Today She Grinned

Smile update: Mom and E say she smiled at each of them at a week (very advanced for her age!), she really smiled at me last week (I think--she also smiles at the ceiling fan, though!) and today she grinned at me when she got up. Maybe sleeping a 5 hour stretch in the night makes a girl happy in the morning--it certainly makes her mom happier! Of course my heart is totally melted now...

4 Weeks Already!

Miss A is 4 weeks today--already. It's hard to believe how fast they grow and how time flies. She is a sweetie!

Little Lady in Red

We went to a "Medieval Times" dinner theater yesterday with E's company. The boys were on the edge of their seats during the jousting and sword-fighting and had a great time. Having to eat with their hands and not getting yelled at for it (no utensils in the Middle Ages!) was also a big plus. Unfortunately we "misplaced" the camera on the way there, so we have no pictures of that or of our visit with Jay and Rachel and Zach beforehand or our visit with Chad and Christy afterwards, but I did take these of J and A before we left. How fun to have a reason to wear a pretty red dress!

A is getting more and more alert--and she loves her hands!

We watched Superman Returns with the boys Friday night. Supermen love their little sisters.

New Bike and First Hike

TJ got a super cool new bike over the weekend (an early birthday present). It has shocks, 6 gears, hand brakes and a KICK STAND...maybe someday I'll get a new bike this nice. It goes really fast (of course) and he loves it. In honor of the occasion we went to New Germany State Park this weekend. The boys biked and the girls hiked. Oh--and TJ lost another tooth on the way there.

Papa's Girl

"She Got Her Belly Button!"

As TJ said, "She got her belly button!" on Wednesday, so A got to have her first real bath.

Excitement was high and I had lots of helpers.

Mikey, she likes it!


She also likes her ducky towel and being naked.

TJ took this picture--He thought it was important to document the arrival of the belly button.

Just a swingin'

Now that I'm on my own again, we had to set up my third arm...yeah for swings! Little A is 2 weeks old today.

TW and J are GREAT at setting up baby swings--and at helping her swing really high, of course...

Thanks, Mom! We love you!

After two weeks of love and help, Mom had to fly home today. We're all a little lost without her today, but I'm really thankful she was able to stay as long as she did. Thank you, Mom! We love you!

My Girl

Just thought I'd share these of A hangin' with Mama.

First Week at Home

Here are a few pictures from baby A's first week at home. She is sweet and mellow and doesn't seem to mind fitting right in to the mayhem of our home. Her brothers sure do love her!

A's "0" birthday party!

Her first bath at home and snuggling Grammy

Sweet girl!

My Wood Nymph Princes

Our sweet and amazing friend Else made leaf crowns for my little princes. Fall is on its way...

Meeting the Boys! (and Grammy)

Here's some more pictures from the day the boys (and Grammy) came to meet their baby sister at the hospital. She's very well loved, as you can tell. They fight over who's turn it is to hold the baby.

Grammy and her little namesake ...

TW hamming it up ...

Yawn .....