HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOPHIA RAE!

Sophia Rae was born on 15 January at 8:12 am. She weighed in at 7 lbs 5.9 oz and was 20 inches long. She has beautiful light colored peach skin, some brown hair (yes, Aunt Lynne.... it was a shock to have a child with hair!) and the most delicate features you can imagine. Her fingers are long and thin (a pianist in the making) and she is definitely a lot different to get used to than her whopper brother! She looks like Daniel did when he was born and is also a very laid back baby, so far. We hope you enjoy the pictures!

Getting ready to go into surgery.

Baby Sophie ("Fifi" as Dan calls her)
Hair???

Sophie and Daddy at the hospital

After two and a half days in the hospital we came home. Dan was very excited. He had a good time with Grammy and Grumpy, but was ready to have Daddy and Mommy home.

With Grammy in the hospital.

Look at that face!

Sophie chillin'

This morning Daniel was so excited to see her that he actually got out of bed (he has been pulling the teenager who doesn't want to get up act lately!) and showed her how to get dressed and brush his teeth. Then he helped me carry her to the kitchen while we made oatmeal and he showed her how to eat it. He didn't let her out of his sight and patted her head gently . He counted (of course) her eyes and ears and held her rattle for her. He is definitely big brother material.

Sophia and her big brother Daniel

Sophie and Grumpy

Having my parents here has been a blessing and Mark's parents coming next week will be one as well! (Lisa, when you come be ready for diaper duty :)

More to come...

love, us

Waiting game

It is almost time for "Baby Fifi" as Dan pronounces her name to arrive on the playing field. We are waiting. And waiting and waiting. Grammy and Grumpy are here to wait too and of course watch the DanMan.

Here are some pics of our post-Christmas visitors! You will be seeing a lot more come next week.

Dan conning Uncle Ken into playing in the boxes.

Pop came to visit!

Here is Dan trying to reclaim what was once his from the baby. Sigh...

Merry Christmas!

My only excuse for not posting sooner is that I am pregnant... very pregnant. And tired. Very tired. I have been taking the pictures, but the energy to actually put them online has been nonexistent. To all of the Woob/Bear's adoring fans, sorry.

Now, on to bigger and better things!

Thanksgiving with Grammy and Grumpy was a good time. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers about Grumpy. His surgery went very well and he is all well and healed (HOPEFULLY!) to be on baby duty in the next few days!

Soon after I got home from Ohio, Dan had his Christmas concert for school. The video camera captured it well. It was a little dark for pictures, but I think these pictures show it well enough. The only thing we missed was him trying to eat his shoe...
Notice the melodrama when it's not his turn to sing....

This past week Eric and Daniel opened some of Eric's presents a little bit early while he was with us. Probably the biggest hit of the presents was Eric's new digital camera that he has been begging for for quite some time.

Also, let us not forget the power of the box! The box has been a big hit. Daddy and Dan even had lunch in it.

Here are Woob and Bear reading their favorite books in bed. TinTin has a large following here.



We tried to go to church last night, but Dan only lasted 15 minutes before he started loudly singing along to the soloist's version of "King Wenceslas." Then he ran up and down the center aisle and the little older lady next to us reminded us there was a nursery upstairs we could take him to... so much for the family friendly service.

I tried to get good pics of the Christmas present opening, but it was so low key it was hard. We made the mistake of letting Daniel open the electronic present from Grammy and Grumpy first, and that was the end of that. We couldn't pry it out of his hands! Daniel also couldn't nap today because he was so excited about going fishing with Daddy after his nap. The weather was about 60 degrees today and they had a lot of fun at the lake at the end of our street.

Dan also really like his FP3 player he got from Grammy and Grumpy -- we loaded Elvis onto it and he is happy. We also put on his LetterPeople songs. For those who may remember the LetterPeople from elementary school they are the phonics helpers. He is all about phonics. And his very favorite is Mr. M (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS8GTWOSA60).

I'm sorry this is so short, but I am tired again! For those who don't know. The c-section is scheduled for 15 January. It seems like forever away.
Merry Christmas to all.
love,
us

Is it time for Thanksgiving already?

Time is really flying! Although, the more pregnant I get, the slower the days seem to go sometimes, until I sit down at the end of the day and realize all that happened. We have busily been getting ready for the Biscuit, who we have affectionately nicknamed "Buffy." (Hope the technician was right and it's a girl... otherwise, a little boy might be pretty confused!) Here is a picture of Mark and Dan painting the baby's room "silver peony." Mark said that they will have to hang some camoflauge around the room to make it more boy friendly. Then today he called her his little princess bear, so I think he is softening a little to the idea of a "daughter."

Daniel has been a mimic lately and loves to do whatever Eric is doing. Here they are reading books. As Mark learned early today, Little Bear will repeat ANYTHING you say... even it is something you would rather not have him hear.

We went to go see Santa last night to get pictures for the Christmas card. If you want to take a picture with your OWN camera, you have to buy a package of pictures from the "Elves" (read "scam artists") who sit with Santa. What a rip-off. Dan didn't nap yesterday so he slept right through Santa. Probably the only reason we got a picture of him with Santa. Here is a picture of Santa, Bear and Woobie. When I tried to wake Dan up so that he could actually see Santa both Mark and Santa cried "NO!" in unison...

Here is Eric pontificating to Santa Claus about the finer points of the gifts he wants for Christmas...

Daniel has been talking a lot lately as well. He got to have the job of "weatherman" at school last week, so each day they sang a song and he got to look out the window and tell them the weather. Then he put signs up on the weather wall that showed the weather. Now everyday he tells us what the weather is like outside.

Have a great Thanksgiving! More pictures later!

Happy Halloween!

Elvis has entered the building! While there he danced around, sang, ate ice cream, ate candy, said "no" a lot, sang to people as he asked "Trick-or Treat?," figured out pretty quickly how to say "Thank You" after receiving his candy, and then slept hard all night after a fun-filled day! He had his own musical accompaniment on his travels as well. He was a gold-record hit! Daddy took Daniel around for trick-or-treat while Mommy and our neighbor Craig sat together at the bottom of our driveways watching kids and handing out candy.

Here is a picture of Daniel and his class getting ready for their Halloween parade at school. No wig then. Too hot!

And here is a picture of Dan and Woob getting furniture together in preparation for the Biscuit/Cupcake/Beignet's arrival. Eric put together a lot of the furniture for his little sister himself. Daniel climbed around on it and chased people with a screwdriver. sigh...