Photo Book

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Shutterfly baby photo books are the perfect way to preserve your baby's precious moments.

Old Baby Accepts New Baby

Home from the Hospital in Record Time

Since she was already almost two weeks late from emerging from the uterus, Ethan and I saw no reason to stay in the hospital any longer than necessary. This morning I immediately befriended the head nurse on the recovery ward, told her I had three anxious siblings at home, and she assured me she would bust Bernadette and me out. True to her word, BB and I had all our blood work and pricks and sticks done by 1300. I didn't even have time to eat my salty hospital stew before Daddy arrived to wisk us home in our Blue Subaru chariot. Daddy is adorable with this baby girl, by the way, I think I am never as in love as when I see him holding her.

Somehow, even with the speedy hospital stay, my amazing mother had cleaned our entire baby room, changed sheets, set-up changing table, and gotten the wooden stork painted and nailed to a tree out front. I am trying not to focus on what life will look like after her departure. Well, we are home. Let life begin...

BB Birthday

Announcing the arrival of our sweet fourth child, Bernadette Marie, this evening, in Wiesbaden, Germany. She was born with comparable ease at 23:15 local time. Her looks seem to be all her own, although the head of raven-black hair is all Daddy. Her nails are long, and her neck control strong, which at ten days past due, is fairly typical.

We chose her name to honor my Dad - Bernard - who has always had a special way of interacting with girls. Dad is also loving and laid back - two traits for which I am hopeful in our newest arrival. Vivian has also been learning a great deal about Saint Bernadette, and we would like to visit the miraculous site of Lourdes, France with this new Bernadette before leaving Europe. Marie is my late grandmother's name, who passed away last year. This will be our first baby who doesn't get to meet "GG" in person.

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes.

Important Real Estate Consideration

Double sinks in the master bathroom are clearly important for many reasons. Chief among them in our home....? Double Spiderman hangs, duh.

1st Snowfall

One boy loved it!

One, not so much

Veggie Spaceship

When one has found it impossible to find the time to blog for six months it is rather daunting to know where to start. But, I need to record for posterity a moment from this evening's meleé.

We are daddyless for a few days and nights so things are slightly more chaotic and there is 50% more work for a tired, pregnant mother. Thus, by 1900 my spirits  were flagging and my sense of humor waning. As I tried to get the dishwasher started, an excited 3.5-year-old made off excitedly with something dirty from the bottom rack. His eager 2-year-old sidekick ran off down the hallway after him. Like I said, my sense of humor was gone, so I stalked after them demanding to know what they had. When I made it to the back bedroom, where they play with a large wooden castle and knights, I saw our vegetable steamer basket landing as if from space and unloading little plastic passengers onto the medieval grounds. I smiled in spite of myself and gave thanks for living in a home where vegetable steamer baskets become UFOs.