Mommy's Reluctant Birthday

With childbirth just twenty days behind me, and a Trans-Atlantic voyage/husband's deployment three days ahead of me, the birthday seemed like it should be overlooked this year. Nonetheless, Mom, Husb and the kiddies ensured it wasn't so. Here we are blowing out the candles on the special order cake I put in (brownie star in the midst of homemade orange cake and icing, with dark chocolate shavings). It is good to have Mom in town. Looking forward to another great year.

Newest Catholic in Germany

Clark William was baptized during our Thanksgiving Mass at the Chapel on our Army Airfield here today. The ceremony was small and lovely, our new priest/Army chaplain was touched to be performing the ceremony and I couldn't help but be reminded of the Army chapel in which E and I were married just over six years ago. What a gift, what an ultimate Thanksgiving.

3!

It is sinking in

Pure Contentment

Insta-Middle Child

The Setherade is settling into his role as the middle child/ big(ger) brother. He likes "Baby Carlk" alright, but he doesn't want to have to slow down too much in order to spend time with him. It is sort of like, "ok, I am down here on the floor playing cars, put that baby in my lap. Oh, wait, I got side-tracked by something and left the baby laying on the carpet." We are working on it, day by day. In spite of it all, I definitely see some intense brotherly love on our horizon.

Velvet Vivian

When Vivian refuses to wear anything but a red velvet dress for three days in a row, you know that... it is the softest garment she owns and thereby, suited for holding her newest baby brother!Clark William joined the family at 20:25, Central European Time, on the 8th of November. He weighed in at 8lbs. 14 oz., 21 in. long. The labor was "robust", the German hospital experience was superb, and we are all happy to be at home adjusting to the new rhythms of family life today. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

Great Grandmother Recommends

My maternal grandmother has seven children, whom she birthed healthily. Yesterday in an e-mail, she recommended that I "get down on my hands and knees and scrub the kitchen floor."

Done and done. Still no labor, what 'ya got now, Grannysan?