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.

Soccer Cinderella

I got home at 12:45 AM last night. I am within 24 hours of the most incredible sport spectacle I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing live.  A friend offered me the opportunity to use one of their tickets to go to the Women's World Cup Final (USA v. Japan) in Frankfurt.

Immediately the rational, sensible, mother-of-seven-years-side of me went into gear. Kick-off wasn't until 20:45, Ethan is away and I have three children... I couldn't go! Fortunately, the passionate, soccer-loving side of me overrode that, and I committed to making it work. Sitter, check. Homemade shirt and obnoxious hat, check. Good friends to get me to the stadium and back, check. I did it. I spent seven of the fastest hours of my life, supporting our ladies in the middle of our adopted German homeland. 
The soccer was inspiring, the fans were committed, the international fervor and yet mutual respect were something to behold. There I sat, in the heart of old Europe, watching a team from the Pacific Rim play their hearts out against our New World soccer standard-bearing women. I enjoyed an organic bratwurst with mustard, while I watched women in beautiful Japanese kimonos settle into the seats around me with their classy-but-passionate excitement. I saw plenty of facepainted U.S. bellies, heck, I wore a homemade shirt and light-up Uncle Sam hat myself.

What a year to have this experience. The women on that field were my peers. Some my exact same age. I played some highish level soccer in both California and the D.C.-area for 12 years. I know the level of time and energy required to be a competitive soccer player, and the level at which these women play is simply exhilarating. Furthermore, there was national character being displayed on that field. The U.S. women were persistent and fierce, but the Japanese were focused and efficient. The timing of the Japanese goals (within ten minutes after each U.S. goal) alone earned them the penalty kick shoot-out which gave them the title.  Seeing three subsequent penalty shots stopped by the diminutive Japanese keeper was almost surreal. The celebration of the Japanese team as they were showered with golden glitter was  genuine, intense and classy. Several of them formed a small circle and bowed low to the perfect green grass, honoring Buddha, presumably, but someone other than themselves assuredly. As we stayed, transfixed by the spectacle, after the cup had been handed out. The Japanese women put the trophy down, and picked up a large banner which read "Thank you to our fans in Japan and around the World" in English and proceeded painstakingly around the perimeter of the field so that we all got to see.

The night was magical, I was never once embarrassed of my blinking Uncle Sam hat, but I also learned a great deal about Japanese culture and values, simply from watching a 120 minute football match with them. When I came home to my apartment to send my spouse a quick note, the Yahoo homepage blared, "Japan wins World Cup when US falls apart in penalty kicks". Well, I am so glad I was physically present, because I know that that is not at all what happened. Rather, a group of inspired, diligent women, brought home a golden trophy that they deserve to guard on their national soil until 2015 in Canada. Then the U.S. women can have another shot at it, and I hope to be there again. What a night.